Kujou Muyo! (No Need for Troubles)
by HandSolo14
Summary: A fanfic taking place in an alternate universe. It follows none of the series. Tenchi will meet the others in different ways. Rated PG-13 for Adult Language and Mild Violence. R&R and enjoy!
1. No Need for a New Girl

"No Need for a New Girl"  
  
A clock at Cloverleaf High School chimed as class was let out for the day. A  
15 year-old boy walked out with his bag in hand. He had dark hair that was pulled  
back in a short rattail. His brown eyes gazed towards the sky in thought. "Tenchi  
Masaki! You've got some explaining to do!" The boy's thoughts were broken by a  
female peer. She had long purple hair and red eyes with a slight tint of purple.  
"Ayeka?" Tenchi said with a confused on his face which was quickly replaced  
with an expression of shock. "Ayeka, I'm so sorry! Stupid me!"  
"You're darn right! How could you froget?" Ayeka said with an accusing  
look on her face. "We had a deal, remember?"  
"Yes, I know and I forgot. I was supposed to meet you at your locker after  
5th period and I totally forgot," Tenchi quickly explained.  
"Yeah, I figured that. Oh, well I should have suspected. Sometimes I don't  
know why I put up with you," Ayeka wondered as they began to walk home.  
"Because of my dashing good looks," Tenchi said with a grin.  
"Um.. no. You'd be in serious trouble if that was true," teased Ayeka.  
"Ouch! Harsh!" exclaimed Tenchi. "So what did you want to talk to me  
about?"   
"Duh! About the camping trip we always go on the last day of school!"  
Ayeka said with a slap over the back of Tenchi's head. "We've only gone on it  
every year since kindergarten."  
"Oh, yeah. Silly me."   
Meanwhile... In space a large ship was orbiting the Earth. It was undetectable  
due to its reflective coating. A tall man with long, green hair gazed into a small  
glass structure. The structures shimmered as if something was passing through it, then  
an image of Tenchi walking with Ayeka became visible. "Ah, there you are Tenchi  
Masaki. At last I have found you. Washu!" the man called.  
A small red-haired girl, appearing to be around the age of 12, appeared and  
responded, "At your service, Kagato."  
"Washu, how would you and your daughter like to stay on Earth for a  
while?"  
"Sure, I've always wondered what kind of experiments I could conduct  
while on a planet like that," replied Washu.  
"You're not only going for pleasure, Washu. I have a job for your daughter  
to accomplish while she's there. Bring her to me now," demanded Kagato.  
"As you wish, Kagato," said Washu. Washu faded away and appeared a  
couple minutes later with another female with her. This new girl appeared to be the  
age of 15. She was tall and had long cyan hair. Her eyes were yellow and had  
somewhat of a catlike appearance.  
"What do you want, Kagato?" said the rebellious female.  
"I have a job for you, Ryoko," informed Kagato. "You see this boy."  
"Yeah, he's kinda cute," said Ryoko as she gazed into the glass.  
"Kill him," demanded Kagato.  
"What? Why? He's just a kid," questioned Ryoko.  
"Are you questioning my authority, Ryoko?"  
"No, of course not, Kagato. I'll get ready right away," Ryoko responded as  
she faded away.  
"Oh and Washu? No one's going to believe a 12 year-old girl has a 15  
year-old daughter. Why don't you change to a more realistic form?" said Kagato.  
"Huh? Oh right," Washu snapped her fingers and changed into an older  
form. She aged about 25 years. "How's this, Kagato?"  
"It's fine, Washu. Now go! I'm losing my patience," Kagato commanded.  
"Yes sir," said Washu as she bowed and also dissapeared.   
Kagato gazed into the glass again. "Yes, Tenchi Masaki, enjoy your last  
days alive."  
Back on Earth...   
"Geez, that Biology test today was hard!" complained Tenchi.  
"Well, if you paid attention in class instead of falling asleep..." retorted  
Ayeka.  
"Hardy, har, har, Ayeka. I only fell asleep once, and that was when I stayed  
up all night studying for the Geometry test which, I might add, I aced unlike a  
certain Miss Jurai."  
"Hey nobody's perfect," defended Ayeka as she slugged Tenchi in the arm.  
"Hey! Why I outta..." declared Tenchi. He then grabbed Ayeka and slung  
her over his shoulder.  
"No! Put me down!" She flailed in the air futilely. "OK, OK, I give! I give!  
Just put me down!"  
Tenchi's laughter was interuppted by a voice exclaiming "Ayeka!"   
A nine year-old girl with pink eyes and blue hair came running up to the  
teenagers. "Oh, hello, Sasami," greeted Tenchi.  
"Hi, Tenchi! What are you two doing?" quieried Sasami.  
"Sasami, you've got to help me!" pleaded Ayeka.  
"I'm teaching your sister a lesson, Sasami," informed Tenchi.  
"Oh, I see," said Sasami as she giggled.  
"Sasami! How dare you take his side!?! I'm your sister!" exclaimed Ayeka.  
"Tenchi, will you walk me home?" Sasami asked.  
"Sure no problem, Sasami. After all I have to drop this little troublemaker  
off," answered Tenchi  
"I'm laughing on the inside, really I am," responded Ayeka. Sasami just  
giggled.  
The trio continued to walk as Sasami told them about her day. "And then  
that jerk, Hotsuma, grabbed my bag and took off with it, but I caught up to him  
and did that wrestling move you showed Tenchi. He ran off yelling for his  
mommy," Sasami said with somewhat of a devilish grin on her face.  
"Sasami, I'm suprised at you, using violence in such a situation. And  
Tenchi, teaching a nine year-old girl how to wrestle," said Ayeka who gave Tenchi  
a swift kick in the side.  
Due to the odd angle of the blow, Tenchi was able to ignore it. Tenchi then  
slung Ayeka over the other shoulder. "Tenchi, I beg you. Put me down!" pleaded  
Ayeka who followed up with another kick. Tenchi laughed and mockingly said,  
"Ayeka, I'm suprised at you, using violence in such a situation. Right, Sasami."  
"Yes, Ayeka, you are such a bad influence on me," said Sasami.  
"You two are unbearable!" complained Ayeka who eventually gave up.  
Finally the trio arrived at Ayeka's and Sasami's huse. "Where's your  
parents?"   
"They went on a business trip for two weeks. We got the house to  
ourselves," infromed Sasami. "You wanna come in?"  
"No, I better get home, but thanks for the invitation," answered Tenchi. He  
began to head back, but he recieved a blow to the stomach.  
"You frogot about me!" exclaimed Ayeka. Tenchi laughed and lowered her  
down to ground.  
"Sorry, Ayeka."  
"You're forgiven. Besides it was kind of cool to have a guy carry me  
home," said Ayeka with a smile. "See you tomorrow, Tenchi." She walked off to  
join Sasami in the house.  
Tenchi began his walk home, but he didn't notice someone watching him.  
Ryoko hovered in a tree keeping an eye on Tenchi. She chuckled to herself,  
"Cute and available. It's a shame I have to kill him." She dissappeared.  
Later...  
Tenchi walked onto his street and immediatly noticed something different.  
A large truck was parked in the driveway of the house next door to his own. He  
immediately spotted a girl his age playing basketball while several workers unload  
several objects into the house. The girl turned and caught Tenchi staring at her.  
She called out, "Hi there!"  
Tenchi broke out of his trance and responded, "Oh, um... hi!" He walked up  
to the girl and introduced himself, "My name's Tenchi Masaki. I live in that  
house." Tenchi pointed to the house to the left.  
"My name's Ryoko Hakubi, and I live there," the girl said as she pointed  
towards the house.  
"So, uh, you play basketball?" asked Tenchi, trying to generate a  
conversation.  
"Yeah, do you?" replied Ryoko.  
"Yeah," answered Tenchi. *Great, this conversation's going nowhere fast.  
Better go before you humiliate yourself more,* thought Tenchi, but before  
he could head home, Ryoko passed the basketball to Tenchi.  
"Play to 20, have to win by two," Ryoko challenged. "Or are you too afraid  
to be beaten by a girl?"  
Tenchi smiled slyly and responded, "You're on!"  
The game continued for about 10 minutes the score 19 to 19, Tenchi's ball.  
"Oh, you're good Ryoko, but I'm better."  
"Talk is cheap, Tenchi. Bring it on!"  
"You asked for it!"   
Before Tenchi could run the ball, one of the workers yelled from inside the  
truck, "Look out!"  
A large machine reeled out of one of the trucks and headed straight for  
Ryoko. Tenchi rammed Ryoko out of the way, and quickly jumped onto the  
machine and landed in a tiger stance. Unfortunately, the top was slick and Tenchi  
slid off and hit his head on the concrete hard. He blacked out without really  
knowing what was going on.  
Later... Tenchi groggily woke up and tried to make sense of what had  
happened. When his eyes finally snapped into focus, he had to supress a gasp of  
shock. He was laying in a bed next to a sleeping Ryoko who had her arm draped  
across his neck. He blushed profoundly at the sight. He gently slipped under her  
arm, and stood up. He immediatley regretted it. The room spun which caused  
Tenchi to stagger backwards, and he fell onto the bed. Ryoko's eyes snapped  
open.   
"T-T-Tenchi?" Suddenly the memory of what happened flooded back to her.  
Tenchi had risked his neck to save her. *No one's ever done that for me. Not even  
Kagato.*  
"Oh, my head..." Tenchi sat back up rubbing the back of his head.  
"Tenchi, are you okay?" asked Ryoko quietly.  
Tenchi tensed up at the sound of her voice. *She's awake!* "M-M-Miss  
Ryoko, I don't know what's going on here, but it wasn't my choice to come up  
here, I don't even remember coming up here," said Tenchi quickly trying to  
explain why he was in the same bed with a girl like her.  
"Tenchi, calm down. Don't you remember what happened?"  
"No. It was all such a blur," said Tenchi as he rubbed the back of his head  
and felt the knot. "Ouch."  
"But the things you did were amazing. If it was all a blur how could you  
have done that?"  
"Done what?"  
"You really don't remember do you?"  
"No, I don't! So would you mind telling me what happened?"  
"Well, one of my mom's machines came loose out of the moving trucks and  
you pushed me out of the way."  
"So what's so spectacular about that?"  
"Well, the machine came heading towards you really fast," informed Ryoko  
as she got out of the bed. "And you jumped unbelievably high and landed in some  
sort of stance." She imitated the move by jumping onto the bed and landing in a  
sloppy tiger stance. "Well you did it different."  
"Did I do it like this?" He copied Ryoko's move only he landed in a  
near-perfect tiger stance.  
"Yes! How did you do that? Where did you learn how to do that? Teach me  
how to do that!"  
"Woah, slow down! Alright to answer your questions; reflex, martial arts  
class, and I don't know if I can."  
"You take martial arts?"  
"Yeah, and I also take fencing."  
*He's a fighter and a swordsman? This is too perfect. He is too perfect.*   
"Now would you please tell me when I lost consciousness."  
"Oh, that. You see my mom's machine was oiled on the top and you kinda  
slipped off."  
"Yeah, that was real great. I my jump looked really awesome only after that  
I slipped klutz-like right off the landing spot."  
Suddenly the door opened and a red-haired, 37 year-old woman came in.  
"Oh, good. You two are awake. Ryoko, why don't you introduce me to your  
friend?"  
"Mom, this is Tenchi Masaki. He lives to the house on the left of us. Tenchi,  
this is my mom, Washu Hakubi."  
"Pleased to meet you, Miss Washu," Tenchi said as he bowed.  
"Oh, you don't have to bow, and don't call me Miss Washu it makes me  
sound old."  
"Um, then what should I call you?"   
"Call me, Little Washu."  
"Okay, M-, I mean, Little Washu. Well, I better go. I got homework to do."  
"Here, at least stay for dinner," offered Ryoko. "As thanks for saving my  
life," she quickly added.  
"Sure," replied Tenchi. He quickly turned to Washu and added, "If you  
don't mind having an extra mouth to feed, Little Washu."  
"That's ok. I'll just order a pizza."  
"Medium pizza, sausage with extra pepperoni," said Tenchi quickly. When  
he noticed Ryoko's and Washu's stares he added, "Sorry, reflex."  
One hour later... "Little Washu, Miss Ryoko, thank you for the food, but I  
really should get going."  
"Alright, Tenchi. Thank you again for saving my daughter's life."  
"It was nothing, really don't mention it," said Tenchi as he grabbed his bag.  
He waved good-bye and went back to his house.  
"He was a polite boy," remarked Washu.  
Ryoko sighed and said, "Yeah." She smiled at thought of him. "He's   
perfect."   



	2. No Need for an Assassin

"No Need for Assassians"  
  
Tenchi Masaki, a young fifteen year-old boy with dark hair and brown eyes,  
was walking towards his school, Cloverway High School, when a female peer  
rushed up to him.  
"Tenchi! Wait, Tenchi!" said the female. She had cyan hair with yellow  
cat-like eyes.  
"Ryoko?" Tenchi turned to see his neighbor whom had moved in just a  
week ago.  
"Tenchi!" exclaimed another girl. This one had long purple hair with  
reddish-purple eyes.  
"Ayeka?" Tenchi pulled another 180 to see his friend since childhood.  
Ryoko spotted the other girl and thought, Oh! It's her again! Why does she  
always want to hang around Tenchi when I want to be with him?   
Ayeka likewise located Ryoko and thought, What she's doing with Tenchi  
all the time? I don't like her. There's just something about her that I don't like.  
Tenchi looked side to side, sensing the tension between the two ladies. Oh  
boy. If I don't do something quick this could turn into the cat fight of the century.  
Tenchi remembered the last time the two girls met. Things hadn't exactly turned  
out nicely. If Tenchi hadn't stopped the feuding demoiselles, the two would have  
received more than Ryoko's scratch across the face and Ayeka's torn shirt. Tenchi  
quickly examined his watch and thought of the perfect distraction: Ayeka's  
punctuality. "Well, well look at the time. Don't want to be late to school, do we?"  
"No, we don't," Ayeka reluctantly agreed and walked to school followed by  
Tenchi on her right, and Ryoko on his right.  
As long as I keep myself between Ryoko and Ayeka maybe I can keep these  
two from each other's throats.  
-Later that day...-  
Tenchi was wearing a thick, padded suit. He was in his fencing class. This  
after-school class was the only class he had that Ryoko wasn't in with him. He put  
on his mask, walked into his ring and thought he was going to spar against his  
bulky friend, Amagasaki. He was surprised to find a very different figure squaring  
off against him.  
Mr. Humishiro, Tenchi's fencing instructor, walked over to Tenchi and  
whispered in his ear, "Be careful, Tenchi. This guy is real tough."  
Tenchi nodded and pulled out his sword. Mr. Humishiro walked to the  
center of the ring and exclaimed, "Enguarde!"  
Tenchi and his mysterious opponent started their match quickly. Tenchi was  
amazed at this guy's speed and agility. He also had power thrusts. Tenchi had  
never sparred against this kind of opponent. He loved it. The challenge exhilarated  
him. He thrived off it.   
-Ten minutes later...-   
Tenchi couldn't believe it. The match had gone on for ten solid minutes and  
not a single point had been scored. Everyone had been watching the match  
intensely and cheering who ever they waited, mostly Tenchi because it seemed  
that nobody knew the other guy's name. At one point Tenchi's opponent tripped  
backwards and lost his sword. Tenchi allowed him to retrieve his sword and the  
match continued. Now he was beginning to regret not taking the point when he  
had the chance. He was beginning to get tired and more sloppy. He continually  
found himself on the defensive. Then he felt it. His opponent's sword had hit them  
in the stomach. It was a point.  
"Touche," said the opponent.  
Tenchi couldn't believe it. That voice. It couldn't be her. Could it? The  
opponent pulled of his helmet and revealed that he was a she. "Ryoko!?!"  
She smiled slyly. "Who were you expecting? Who else could spar against  
you that long?"   
Tenchi was speechless. I didn't know she was a swordswoman. Figures.  
She extended her hand and Tenchi grabbed it. She pulled him up, but she either  
underestimated her own strength, or overestimated Tenchi's weight as when she  
did, she pulled to hard and the two were positioned rather close.   
Ryoko blushed and stepped back. "S-S-Sorry," she stammered.  
Suddenly, Tenchi looked at the clock at gasped. How could I? Not again!  
She's going to kill me! Tenchi quickly turned and ran into the locker room to  
change into his school uniform.  
Where's he going? thought Ryoko. She also went into the girls' locker  
room and changed into her school uniform. She came out of the hallway exit to see  
Tenchi dashing past her, nearly bowling her over. "Tenchi! Slow down!" she  
called.  
"Sorry, Ryoko! I have to hurry!" Tenchi replied. He turned around a corner  
and disappeared from Ryoko's sight.  
Ryoko looked side to side to make sure no one was in the hall with her, and  
after determining that there would be no witnesses, flew stealthily down the hall to  
follow Tenchi.  
Tenchi continued to run through the halls, navigating the school until he  
came to a long corridor lined with lockers. "Ayeka!" he called to a figure standing  
near a locker.  
Ayeka looked up and saw him. She was not happy. "Tenchi!" she yelled  
angrily.  
Tenchi continued to run, not noticing the "Slippery When Wet" sign. As he  
stopped in front of Ayeka, he slipped and crashed into a janitor's cart.  
Ayeka walked to the crash site and removed a bucket that had fallen on  
Tenchi's head. She kneeled down and shook her head, "What am I going to do  
with you, Tenchi?"  
"For starters you could give me a hand here," Tenchi replied.  
Ayeka extended her hand and hoisted Tenchi up. "So what's your excuse  
this time?" asked Ayeka.  
"Well you see, Ry..." Tenchi started. No. I can't tell her about the match  
between Ryoko and me. There's already too much tension between those two.  
Better to keep her out of this one. "Um... I got stuck with uh... the guys," Tenchi  
corrected.  
"You got stuck? How did you get stuck?" queried Ayeka.  
"Umm..." Think, Tenchi! Think! "You see... they... uh... called me out on  
my basketball skills, and well you know I can't let them spread stuff like that so I  
got stuck playing a basketball game."  
"So let me get this straight. 'The guys' said that you weren't good at  
basketball, so you played a game against them in order to show them that you were  
good," said Ayeka with a somewhat skeptical look on her face."  
"Um... yes."  
"Boys," Ayeka replied after a pause.  
Whew! She bought it. "So where is our camping trip going to be this  
year?" said Tenchi wanting to change the subject.  
"Well I was thinking about next to the old, abandoned train tracks," said  
Ayeka.   
"Yeah sure that works. But wait aren't those the tracks that are haunted?"  
asked Tenchi, saying the last sentence in a spooky voice.  
"You don't honestly believe that, do you?"  
"I don't know. You know there are those spooky stories, and then there's  
that THING BEHIND YOU!" exclaimed Tenchi loudly.  
Ayeka turned quickly and grimaced at the sound of Tenchi's laughter.  
"Tenchi Masaki, you are just absolutely terrible!" she declared. She then turned  
and socked Tenchi in the stomach.  
"Aw, come on, Ayeka. It was just a joke."  
"A joke, huh? And I guess that was part of your joke," said Ayeka as she  
pointed behind him.  
"Hardy har har. I'm not falling for my own jokes. I'll prove it to you."  
Tenchi walked and slowly turned his head. He collided face first into Ryoko. He  
turned toward Ayeka and saw the annoyed look on her face. Then he turned to  
Ryoko and saw the angered expression on her face. Oh, great. Round two.  
"Miss Ryoko, we meet again," said Ayeka coolly.  
"Yes, it appears we have, Miss Ayeka," replied Ryoko.  
"So, what were you doing here after school hours, Miss Ryoko?"  
"I had a class. And you, Miss Ayeka?"  
"I stayed after to meet with Tenchi after his fencing class."  
"And why did you want to meet with him for?"  
"Tenchi and I had some matters to discuss."  
"Oh, really? And what did you talk to him about?"  
"That's absolutely none of your business!"  
Ryoko opened her mouth as if to counter, but suddenly closed it and stared  
off into space for a second. She then shrugged and said, "Whatever." As she  
walked away, she left Ayeka with a dumbfounded look on her face. Tenchi's face,  
however, reflected relief. Ayeka and Tenchi then began to walk home together and  
discussed their camping trip.  
-Later...-   
Ryoko walked into her house and set her bag on the sofa. She walked up the  
stairs and listened at her mom's room's door. She heard noises and knew that her  
mother must be working. She opened the door into her own room and began to  
change out of her clothes. Suddenly, an image of a tall man with long, green hair  
appeared. Ryoko gasped and quickly slipped her shirt back on. Fortunately, she  
had still had her bra on when the man appeared. "Kagato! I told you to give me a  
warning before you came into my room like that!"  
Kagato's face flashed with anger. "Watch your tongue, girl! I'm the one  
who should be mad at you! Why haven't you completed your mission yet? One  
would think it wouldn't take a week to kill that boy."  
Ryoko desperately searched for something to say. She couldn't find  
anything. She herself didn't know why she delayed it. It would boil down to it all  
anyway. "I've run into some unexpected difficulties," she half-lied.  
Kagato allowed a faint trace of a smile to cross his lips. He knew what was  
happening. He would enjoy watching Ryoko squirm. "What kind of difficulties?"  
She still hadn't thought of that. "Um... I haven't had enough time to seduce  
him yet. He spends a lot of time with another girl and I haven't been able to get  
him alone yet. I need to get closer to him in order for him to drop his guard."  
Good excuse. Too bad it's just that, Kagato thought. "How long will it  
take you to accomplish your mission?"  
"I don't know," Ryoko replied.  
"Very well, but I grow impatient. If you don't accomplish the mission soon,  
I'll have to do it for you. And I will not be merciful on that boy nor will I be on  
you if you fail!" he exclaimed. "Report in three days Ryoko. That's all you have."  
As Kagato began to fade away, Ryoko shouted, "Kagato, wait! I need to  
know something."  
"What is it?!?" he said, less than understandingly.  
"Why do you desire this boy to be killed? After all he's only fifteen. He's  
nothing compared to you."  
Kagato had expected this to come up. "Because that boy is 'The One'. He is  
the only person in the entire Universe who is capable of controlling the 'Holy  
Sword.'"  
Ryoko gasped. The "Holy Sword" was an object of infinite power and was  
the only thing Kagato feared. It was indestructible and only one could control it.  
Ryoko couldn't believe that someone as kind and gentle as Tenchi could contain  
the power. If this was all true then Tenchi could destroy Kagato, if he ever found  
the 'Holy Sword'. Then Ryoko and Washu would be free.  
"And don't be getting any ideas, Ryoko. It wouldn't be a good idea to tell  
the boy any of this. I took special precautions. Mainly, if I were to be killed a  
device embedded in your body would detonate and destroy you. A similar device  
is implanted in Washu. So if you won't kill the boy for my sake, then you should  
kill him for yours. I hope this will motivate you to quicken your efforts." Kagato  
ended the transmission and left Ryoko to think alone.  
-An hour later...-   
The doorbell to the Hakubi family house rang and Ryoko decided that she  
better get the door since Washu was still in her lab. She walked downstairs and  
opened the door.  
"Hi, Ryoko!" It was Tenchi.  
"Hi, Tenchi," Ryoko muttered.  
"Is there something wrong?"  
"No, there's nothing wrong. What did you come for?"  
"Well, I wanted to talk to you about something."  
"Oh, come in," Ryoko said quietly. She opened the door and let him in. She  
stared at the floor not bearing to look Tenchi in the eyes.  
Boy, Ryoko sure has been acting strange lately, thought Tenchi. Maybe  
this will cheer her up. "Ryoko, how would you like to go on a camping trip with  
me?"  
Ryoko suddenly looked up and cursed herself for doing so. She saw his big,  
brown eyes and was lost in them. She remembered the courageous Tenchi and how  
he had almost killed himself by saving her from a runaway machine. She  
remembered the honest Tenchi and how the first thing he said to her after the  
accident was that he didn't know how they had ended up in the same bed. She  
remembered the honorable Tenchi, who allowed her to recover her sword in the  
fencing match. She remembered "The One", the boy Ryoko had to kill. Then she  
remembered that Tenchi was "The One" and suddenly life became a lot more  
complicated.  
"A camping trip?" Ryoko replied. She smiled and said, "Yes, that would be  
nice. When is it?"  
Tenchi took the following ten minutes or so and explained the details of the  
trip. It was in three days and they were camping near a set of railroad tracks that  
had long since been in disrepair. He explained that they would make a fire and tell  
ghost stories and roast food. It all sounded like paradise to Ryoko and she agreed.  
Tenchi stood and headed for the door. As he exited he turned to face Ryoko and  
added, "By the way, did I mention Ayeka was coming with us?" Before Ryoko  
could respond, Tenchi quickly added, "OK, cool. See you there!" and shut the  
door.  
What have I gotten myself into? Ryoko thought.  
The day continued without a hitch until after bedtime. Ryoko was fast  
asleep, and having a dream. She was standing in a large room. The room contained  
a lush jungle. Ryoko recognized it as a room aboard the _Souja_, Kagato's ship.  
To her left stood Kagato, holding a black beam sword. To her right was an injured  
Tenchi, holding some sort of a beam sword with a wooden hilt. The blade was  
blue in color. The two men rushed at each other and the two fought for a while.  
Suddenly Kagato attacked wildly and missed leaving Tenchi open for a strike  
through the chest, which Tenchi took. The sword penetrated Kagato's black heart  
and he fell down dead. Ryoko began to cheer but quickly stopped as her chest  
throbbed with pain. Her heart beat rapidly as the explosive in her body charged.  
Right before it exploded, Ryoko woke up covered in a layer of sweat.  
Ryoko reviewed the dream and decided what must be done. As much as she  
hated it, Tenchi would have to die. And better at my hands, than by the merciless  
ones of Kagato. She reached into her night stand and removed a sparkling red  
gem. She closed her right hand around it into a tight fist. The gem disappeared and  
reappeared embedded into her wrist. She would only need one of her gems to kill  
Tenchi in his sleep. She felt more power run through her. She teleported herself  
outside in front of Tenchi's house. She walked through the wall and eventually  
found Tenchi's room. She approached his sleeping body and shed a silent tear.  
I'm sorry, Tenchi. I'm so sorry. She raised her right hand into the air and  
formed an energy dagger. She screamed in agony as she brought the blade down  
on Tenchi's helpless body.  



	3. No Need for a Sword

"No Need for a Sword"  
  
Tenchi's eyes snapped open at the sound of Ryoko's screaming. He quickly  
sat up and was indescribably confused. Then he caught sight of the energy dagger  
that lied a mere centimeter from his side. "What's going on, Ryoko?" asked  
Tenchi.  
Ryoko had a shameful look on her face. She began to sob. The energy  
dagger returned to Ryoko's hand and she raised it menacingly.  
Tenchi got out of his bed, still wondering what the heck was going on.  
"Ryoko, what's wrong? Talk to me." Tenchi extended his hand to give a  
comforting pat on the back.   
Ryoko quickly batted his hand away with the hand that held her dagger. The  
weapon sliced Tenchi's hand and he yelped in pain and drew it back. He examined  
his hand and watched as the blood trickled from the shallow cut. What is going  
on here? That thing, it's a dagger, Tenchi thought. "Ryoko, tell me what's going  
on!"  
She stumbled for words. What could she tell him? How could she tell him  
that she came to assassinate him? How could she tell him what stopped her?  
Especially when she herself didn't know. "Tenchi, I'm not who you think I am."  
"You're not Ryoko Hakubi?"  
"Tenchi, I'm not joking!"  
Tenchi flinched at the harshness of Ryoko's voice. This _was_ serious.  
"The tell me what I don't know about you."  
"Tenchi, I need you to hear me out on everything and don't interrupt me."  
"Yeah, sure go ahead."  
Ryoko sighed and began, "Tenchi, I'm not exactly a kid who had to move to  
a different city. I'm not an Earthling, Tenchi. I'm from outer space."  
Tenchi wasn't sure how to take this. At first, Tenchi took this as a joke, but  
something about her voice was beginning to convince Tenchi that she was telling  
the truth. And then there was that dagger.   
Ryoko continued, "I am enslaved to a space pirate named Kagato. His only  
desire is to conquer the Universe, but he sees you as a threat and he..." She could  
not continue, but she had to. Tenchi had to know of the danger to his life. "Tenchi,  
he sent me here to assassinate you." She shed more tears. "And I'll do it, too!" She  
held the dagger's blade to his throat. Nothing more than hardly two centimeters of  
air separated Tenchi from certain death.  
Tenchi didn't sweat a drop. "And why do you have to kill me?"  
"Because if I don't, he will! And I've seen him kill, Tenchi! It's horrible!  
He tortures! I don't want that to happen to you!"  
"So you're going to kill me just like that? Without giving me a choice?"  
"But Tenchi! I can't let him torture you!" She pushed the dagger closer.  
Tenchi could now feel the heat of the energy against his skin. Still Tenchi didn't  
flinch.  
"Then do it, Ryoko. Kill me," said Tenchi.  
"I will!" Ryoko began to sob. The energy dagger dispersed as Ryoko lost  
her concentration. Dammit! What's wrong with me! Why can't I do this! She  
collapsed on the ground and began bawling.  
Tenchi placed a hand on Ryoko's back. "Calm down, Ryoko."  
Ryoko stared at him in disbelief. "What's wrong with you?!? I just tried to  
kill you! And yet you still wish to comfort me."  
Tenchi smiled, "Guess that's just the guy I am. Now tell me something."  
Ryoko looked into his eyes. God, why did he have to have those eyes?  
"What?"  
"Why does Kagato want me dead?"  
"It's a long story, Tenchi, and you're not going to believe it."  
"Well, I believed that my next-door neighbor is a space pirate, I think I'll  
believe this."  
Ryoko pulled herself up to Tenchi's bed and sat on it. "There is a legend  
that tells of a sword. The sword is only known as the 'Holy Sword'. It contains a  
power unmatched throughout the entire universe. The catch is only one person can  
even touch it. Over the years Kagato searched for it, certain he was 'The One'. He  
finally found it. It was on some backwater planet called Earth. He took Washu and  
I with him, so he could gloat most likely. He found it in a tree in a forest not to far  
from here actually. He was the only one allowed to enter and he left us out there.  
When he returned his hand was blackened and he did not have the sword.  
Needless to say he was mad. What's worse though is the energy that blackened  
Kagato's hand was a mere fraction of the power contained in the sword. It was the  
only thing Kagato feared. He was scared by the thought of something so powerful  
existed hat he couldn't have."  
"Well this is all fine and dandy, but what does it have to do with me?"  
"Tenchi, you're 'The One.'"  
"What!?!" Tenchi reeled back. "There's no way! I'm just a normal kid!"  
"It is true, and Kagato wants you dead for it. He's afraid that you could take  
the sword and kill him. So he sent me to kill you first."  
Tenchi began to think. "Well, why don't we do it, then?"  
"Do what?"  
"Why don't we get the sword? You said it was near hear. Hell, I think I even  
know what forest it could be in!" He leaped up on the bed. "What do you say,  
huh? Let's get the sword, kill Kagato, and free you and your mom!"  
"Are you kidding!?! Tenchi, this just isn't some video game! Do you realize  
you could get killed!?!" Ryoko exclaimed.  
Tenchi nodded. "Yeah, I do."  
"What?" Ryoko gasped. What is with this kid? I tried to kill him, and he's  
willing to give me my freedom. Then Ryoko remembered. The device inside of  
her. Kagato had told her that if Tenchi killed Kagato, she and Washu would go  
with him. She knew that Kagato would find Tenchi and kill him in the most  
painful way possible if they didn't stop him. She also knew that she would die if  
they did kill him. What am I going to do? Suddenly she remembered how  
Tenchi had saved her life the first day they met. He had been so brave even though  
the shove he gave her knocked unconscious, but not before she saw him jump onto  
the machine. And slip right off the edge. She smiled.  
"Hey, what are you smiling about?"  
Ryoko snapped out of her daydream. "Oh, nothing." She stood up. "Yeah,  
let's get him, but we only have three days to do it."  
"Three days?!?"  
"Yeah, that's how long I have to kill you, and after that he'll come down  
here and do the job himself."  
"Then let's get started."  
"What? You mean right now?"  
"Yeah, we don't have a moment to spare."  
"I guess so..."  
"Do you remember where it is?"  
"Yeah, hang on," Ryoko embraced Tenchi who blushed fiercely.  
"Uhhh, Ryoko what are you doing?"  
"You'll see, now hold on tight," Ryoko began to levitate.  
"Woah!" Tenchi yelped and held on to Ryoko. "You didn't tell me you  
could fly!"  
"That's not all I can do, Tenchi," Ryoko said devilishly.  
Tenchi gulped and wondered what that could mean when she floated toward  
the ceiling. "Ryoko, there's a ceiling up there."  
"I know," she assured as she simply phased through the ceiling as if it didn't  
exist and pulled Tenchi through as well. "Now let's see if I can remember what it  
looked like." She closed her eyes and tried to envision the tree, or at least the  
forest.  
Tenchi, however, was concerned with other things. He began looking  
around for any witnesses. The position he was in looked rather conspicuous, not to  
mention the fact that he was high off the ground and still rising.  
"Got it!" informed Ryoko as she opened her eyes.  
"Got what?"  
"You better hold on, Tenchi."  
Tenchi suddenly had a gut-wrenching feeling, and closed his eyes. As  
quickly as the nausea had come, it passed. He opened his eyes and gasped. They  
were now in a forest. "What the... let me guess. You can teleport too?"  
Ryoko smiled and replied, "Yep. Got to love these gems." She set Tenchi  
down.  
"So this is the tree, huh?" asked Tenchi as he saw an unusually thick one.  
"I think so. Yep, I can see the unusual marking on it," she pointed at an odd  
symbol.  
Tenchi looked at the symbol carefully, "That's weird, it looks almost  
familiar..."  
"Well, what are you waiting for?" Ryoko pushed Tenchi into the tree.   
Tenchi slammed hard into it. "Ouch! Why the heck did you do that?!?"  
"Oops! Sorry, I forgot that you can't phase through matter. Here I'll go in  
and pull you through," she informed as she slammed into the tree also.  
"Ryoko, quit fooling around!" demanded Tenchi.  
"I can't phase through it either. It's somehow blocked my powers. Guess I'll  
have to make a door," she informed as a red beam sword appeared in her hand.  
She drove the sword into the tree's trunk.  
Suddenly Tenchi covered his ears and screamed in pain. "Take it out! Take  
it out!"  
Ryoko quickly withdrew the beam sword and looked strangely at Tenchi.  
"What's the matter?"  
"Didn't you hear that noise? That horrible shrieking noise."  
"No."  
"What the..." Tenchi looked up to see the symbol on the tree glowing.  
"My God... Tenchi what's going on?"  
"I don't know." Suddenly, Tenchi's body began to float towards the tree.  
"What's going on?!? Ryoko!" Tenchi then passed right through the tree as if it  
didn't exist.  
The emblem stopped glowing and Ryoko began to panic. "Tenchi! Tenchi!"  
"Ryoko, I'm in the tree!" Tenchi cried.  
"Hang on, Tenchi! I'm coming!" Ryoko backed up and rammed into the  
tree, but again couldn't phase through. "Tenchi, I can't get through! You're going  
to have to find the sword on your own."  
Tenchi gulped. "Great, just great." It's way too dark in here. I can't see a  
thing, thought Tenchi.   
As if summoned by his thoughts, a little ball of light appeared out of the  
darkness and approached Tenchi. It projected a red light that traced Tenchi's  
body's outline. Suddenly it shone brightly, causing Tenchi to shield his eyes. The  
ball's light dimmed, and Tenchi was able to see the path in front of him. He saw a  
staircase and decided to walk down it. The ball followed him. Tenchi noticed that  
there was some kind of writing on the walls encasing the stairs. He traced his hand  
along it, and to his surprise the ball spoke. "This wall depicts a legend of Jurai, a  
planet far away from Earth."  
"'Jurai?' That's Ayeka's last name!"  
The sphere continued, "The legend is the one of Sword Tenchi, and its  
bearer Yosho."  
"Sword _Tenchi_! All right, this is getting too weird!" Every neuron in  
Tenchi's brain told him to turn around and leave, but something drove Tenchi  
onward continuing to trace his fingers on the wall.  
"Yosho was a legendary knight of Jurai, and was the first crowned prince.  
As a knight, he vowed to protect Jurai against all evil. Unfortunately, an evil far  
beyond anything Yosho had experienced attacked the planet of Jurai. Yosho and  
his two partners and close friends, Azaka and Kamidake, desperately tried to fight  
back the evil and managed to severely injure it. It retreated, but the costs were  
devastating. Azaka and Kamidake were killed, and Yosho was mortally wounded.  
As Jurai's search parties found their bodies, it was too late for Yosho. They could  
not save him. The teams summoned Yosho's fiancee, Princess Akeya. Yosho  
entrusted Sword Tenchi with Akeya, and with his dying breath, told her of the  
evil. He also told of a premonition he had. It was of the planet Jurai being  
destroyed and he made Akeya promise that she would evacuate the planet. No  
sooner had all the Jurai been evacuated, the evil returned and obliterated Jurai.  
Satisfied that none of Yosho's descendants could ever avenge his death, the evil  
left. That is how the legend goes."  
"Akeya? Sword Tenchi? Jurai? Unbelievable," Tenchi said aloud. He took  
another step and found himself on level ground. He continued to walk until he  
found himself on a narrow path. To the left and right of him was water. At the end  
of the end of the path was a large tree. Something near the tree gave off an eerie  
glow. As he approached the tree he observed that the object emitting the light was  
a wooden sword hilt with three red gems embedded in it.   
"The 'Holy Sword!'" He reached out to touch it, but reflexively pulled it  
back as blue electricity shocked him. He examined his hand and found no scorch  
marks. He again tried and blue electricity arced around his arm, but caused no  
harm. He reached further and as the energy burnt his shirt but left his hand  
completely unscathed. He took a deep breath and grabbed hold of the sword and  
removed it from its resting spot.  
Suddenly a voice popped into his head saying, "Greetings!"  
Tenchi dropped the sword in surprise. "Did that thing just talk?"  
The voice replied, "Excuse me, but I'm not a _thing_. My name is Tenchi,  
and you seem to be 'The One' who may use me. What is your name?"  
A polite sword! Now I've seen everything... "Uh... my name is also  
Tenchi," he replied as he picked the sword up.   
"Hmm... that could cause some confusion, your friend may then call me  
'Sword Tenchi.'"  
"Friend? How do you know about Ryoko?"  
"I know everything you know, Master Tenchi. Our memories have been  
linked for some time. I know of your mission to free Mistress Ryoko and Little  
Washu from Kagato."  
"Then you know of the time shortage we have."  
"Correct. So I suggest we get moving."  
"Right," said Tenchi as he ran back up to the entrance.  
"Ryoko! I got it!"  
"Got what?" came a different female voice.  
"Got the 'Holy..." Tenchi paused for a second. "Ayeka?!? Is that you?"  
"Yes, of course it's me! Tenchi, what are you doing in that tree?!?"  
"I already explained it to you, Ayeka," came Ryoko's voice.  
"No! You cooked up an unbelievable story!"  
"Are you calling me a liar?!?"  
"Yes, I am!"  
"You'll regret that!"  
"Girls, stop this right now!" Tenchi interrupted. "Ayeka, I hate to admit it,  
but Ryoko is telling the truth, and I'll gladly clear anything up as soon as I figure  
out how to get out."  



	4. No Need for Gems

No Need for Gems  
  
"Ayeka, I'll be glad to explain everything to you. If I could get out of here!"  
called a 15 year-old boy. The dark-haired, brown-eyed teen was stuck in a tree.  
Not up a tree, _in_ a tree.  
Outside the tree stood two girls Tenchi's age, one with cyan hair and yellow  
cat-like eyes and one with long purple hair and reddish-purple eyes.   
"Perhaps I could be of some service," said a female voice.  
Suddenly the cyan haired girl yelled, "Tenchi! Is there another girl in  
there?!?"  
"No, Ryoko. It's the sword!" Tenchi replied.  
"The sword?!?" the two girls said in unison.  
"Mistress Ryoko, Mistress Ayeka, please step back," urged the sword.  
Ryoko and Ayeka stepped back from the strange tree as the a symbol  
embedded in it began to glow as did the jewels embedded in the hilt of the sword.  
Ryoko and Ayeka shielded their eyes, and when they uncovered them Tenchi  
stood before them with a wooden hilt of a sword in his hand.  
Ryoko looked disappointed, "Not much of a 'Holy Sword' is it. Hell, it's  
just a hilt, no blade. Let me see it." She reached out to take it, but as soon as she  
gripped the hilt Ryoko received a powerful shock. Surprisingly, the energy just  
arced around Tenchi harmlessly. The sword suddenly jerked away from Ryoko's  
hand.  
"Satisfied now?" asked the sword.  
"Okay, I'll admit that thing has a lot of energy in it, but what good will that  
do against Kagato if you have to get close right next to him to do anything. I mean  
his sword is a good..."   
Ryoko was interrupted by the sound of Ayeka clearing her throat. "Excuse  
me? Really confused girl over here."  
Tenchi sighed and began to explain what had transpired in the last 24 hours.  
Then Tenchi explained to both Ryoko and Ayeka about the legend of the Jurai he  
had learned about in the tree/cave. "And so that's pretty much it. Hey Ayeka, are  
you feeling all right?"   
Ayeka was pale in the face. "Yeah I'm... no." Her eyes turned to the back of  
her skull and she fell to the ground with a loud _thunk_.  
"That's going to leave a mark," said Ryoko almost smiling.  
"You know I almost expected that," said Tenchi. "Ryoko, take us back to  
my house."  
"Do we have to take her along too?"  
"Of course, we just can't leave her here!"  
"_You_ can't leave her here."  
"Ryoko..."  
"Don't worry, just remember I'm doing this for you, not her." Ryoko  
grabbed Tenchi by the shirt collar and concentrated on Tenchi's house.  
The sickening feeling passed over Tenchi as they dematerialized and  
reappeared in Tenchi's room. He took of his white shirt and tossed it to Ryoko.  
"Wet my shirt and bring it back to me."  
"Fine, whatever," she said as she walked out of the room.  
Tenchi picked up Ayeka and put her on his bed. "Ayeka, why did you have  
to find out?" he asked his unconscious friend. "I wanted to keep you out of this."  
Tenchi sighed and wondered how he had got dragged into this.   
He looked down at his sword, "Ryoko's right about you, Sword Tenchi.  
What good are you if I have to get right next to Kagato to do anything?"  
"Master Tenchi, you have misunderstood. The energy dispersed when  
somebody else touches me is a defense mechanism. As my name suggests I am a  
sword. My blade is made of energy and only activates when you are in trouble."  
"Like Ryoko's weird energy dagger thing."  
"Yes, similar."  
Ryoko came back into the room and handed Tenchi his wet shirt. "Here."  
"Thank you, Ryoko," he said as he put the wet shirt onto Ayeka's forehead.  
He got up and put on a new shirt. "Well, there's nothing else I can do. Except wait  
for her to wake up." He yawned and got up.  
"Where are you going?," asked Ryoko.  
"I'm getting some pop, I need something to keep me up. You want any?"  
"No I'm fine. Hey, why don't you get some sleep. I'll look after Ayeka."  
"You sure?"  
"Yeah, I'm fine."  
"All right, good night."  
"Good night."  
Tenchi yawned again and walked down a flight of stairs and lied down on a  
couch. He almost immediately fell asleep.   
Ryoko turned to Ayeka and frowned. Meddling little girl. Why did she  
have to get involved. She'll only get in the way. Ryoko thought. You know all  
it would take would be one quick stab right through the chest and she'll be out of  
my way for good. Ryoko dismissed the thought however. Nah! Tenchi seems to  
be able to stand her, though I don't know why. So I guess I'll have to put of with  
her too.  
As if summoned by her thoughts, Ayeka stirred and slowly opened her eyes.  
"Well, is there a worse sight to wake up to," said Ayeka disgusted.  
Then again... "Whatever. Listen you want me to take you home are do  
you want to walk?"  
"As much as I hate to admit it, I need you to take me home. After all you  
can't expect a pretty girl like me to walk the streets alone can you? I might get  
mugged."  
"Yeah, we wouldn't want that to happen would we?" The muggers don't  
deserve something that bad. She grabbed Ayeka by the shirt and concentrated  
on... wait she didn't know what Ayeka's house looked like.  
"Well what's the matter? Make with the teleporting!'  
"I can't if I haven't seen your house. How the hell am I supposed to take  
you somewhere if I don't know where it is?!"  
"Well can't you do something else?"  
"Yeah, just hang on!" Ryoko began to float and Ayeka began to kick and  
scream.  
"What are you doing!"  
"I'm flying you home what's it look like! Now stop fidgeting so I don't drop  
you and tell me where your house is!" Ryoko took to the sky as Ayeka gave  
directions in between all her complaining. When they got there Ryoko more than  
happily put her down. "You happy now! Now remember the only reason I can  
stand you is because you're Tenchi's friend, so don't expect me to be doing you  
anymore favors."  
"Likewise."  
Ryoko sneered as she disappeared back into Tenchi's house. She went over  
to Tenchi's sleeping body and looked at it. Oh, Tenchi. Why did it have to be  
someone like you? Someone kind? Someone gentle? Why couldn't be some kind  
of evil person? Someone cruel? She sighed. I don't want you to die. She  
extended her hand and gently ran her fingers down his face. Good night,  
Tenchi. She disappeared back into her own room and was startled to see Washu  
in her room.  
"Welcome home, Ryoko."  
"Mom! What are you doing here?"  
"Waiting for you. You were over at Tenchi's house, weren't you?" Ryoko's  
silence was enough of an answer for Washu. She sighed. "I see and did you  
accomplish your mission?"  
"No."  
Washu was startled by this news. Ryoko had always accomplished her  
missions. No one had ever been able to be as powerful as her except Kagato.  
That's how she designed her. "I don't understand," she said as she grabbed  
Ryoko's wrist and checked the gem embedded in it. "Is the gem still working?"  
Ryoko pulled her wrist away and turned her back to her mom. "No, the gem  
is working fine."  
"Then what's the problem?"  
Ryoko blushed and cursed herself for doing so.  
Washu chuckled to herself, but it was loud enough that Ryoko heard it.  
"And what is so funny?!?" she yelled letting her anger get hold of her.  
"It's just as I predicted."  
"What! How the hell were you able to predict something like that!"  
"Mother's intuition, of course. Not to mention the fact the way you always  
stare at him."  
"S-s-s-so. That doesn't mean anything."  
"I'm not finished yet! There was that time you just happened to have your  
arm casually draped over him after the accident. Not to mention how mad you get  
whenever he talks to Ayeka. And the biggest piece of evidence is that it's taken  
you over a week to accomplish a simple task like killing a fifteen-year old boy."  
Ryoko remained silent throughout the exchange, cursing herself for being so  
readable. I wonder if Tenchi's noticed.  
"Am I right?" asked Washu raising an eyebrow.  
She sighed and said, "What am I going to do? Tenchi's got the sword and he  
wants to face off against Kagato and free us."  
"You mean you told him?"  
She nodded and replied, "Everything except..."  
"The explosives implanted in our bodies?"  
She nodded again. "I tried to tell him, but the words just couldn't come out.  
I mean I know what will happen if Tenchi defeats Kagato, but I also know what  
will happen if he doesn't."  
"Well I'm working on that as we speak."  
"What? What do you mean?"  
"I mean what did Kagato give you before you left?"  
"Nothing... wait he took my gems for about an hour to upgrade them. Then  
gave them back to me."  
"Upgrade, huh? Yeah, right," said Washu. She snapped her fingers and a  
small semi-transparent laptop appeared out of nowhere and floated in front of her.  
"Those explosives have to be in the gems. We have to destroy them."  
"What!?! Then how am I supposed to fight with Tenchi without my power?"  
"You think I summoned my astral PC just for kicks?" she asked as she typed  
on the keyboard. She turned the computer monitor towards Ryoko and asked, "Is  
this Tenchi's sword?" The monitor displayed the hilt of Sword Tenchi with a long  
blue energy blade coming out of the open edge.  
"Yeah that's it. So?"  
Washu pressed a few more buttons on the keyboard and the image enlarged  
to show just the hilt. "These gems look familiar?"  
Ryoko gasped. Now that she had a closer look she recognized the  
connection. "They look exactly the same!"  
"And the power readings are also identical. It seems that Kagato copied the  
design of the gems from the sword and made blueprints to give me. But I'm not  
sure if those gems are compatible with your anatomy. Bring Tenchi to me after  
school tomorrow."  
Ryoko nodded and responded, "Yeah, sure. Tomorrow's the last day of  
school, so it'll be a half-day."  
"Good now let's get rid of that gem," said Washu as she stood up and left  
the room.  
Ryoko gulped, nodded, and followed. She hated removing the gems. She  
had done it a couple times before and hurt _really_ bad. She was led to a broom  
closet which Washu opened. The sensors on the door recognized the DNA  
structure of Washu and Ryoko, allowing them to enter a new dimension that  
contained Washu's laboratory! Duuuh, duh duh duh, duh duh duh duuuh!  
Ryoko turned to Washu and remarked, "Did you just rig some speakers to  
play the theme of 'Dexter's Lab' every time you walk into the lab?"  
Washu put a finger to her mouth. "Shhhhh! You want me to get sued by  
Cartoon Network! You see the last note is a half-step higher than the last note of  
'Dexter's Lab.' That makes it the theme of 'Washu Laboratory"! So what do you  
have to say about that?" inquired Washu, who had returned to her original 12-year  
old like state.  
Ryoko rolled her eyes and replied, "Whatever. Let's get this over with." She  
stepped on to a metallic platform. Washu stepped up to a control panel and typed  
in a sequence. A metal arm came down from the entanglement on other  
mechanical limbs and attached itself to Ryoko's right wrist. Another small  
instrument came down. This instrument had a shackle like attachment on it. The  
shackle had a hole in it. It positioned itself so that Ryoko's gem was visible  
through the aperture. Ryoko suppressed a scream of pain as some force extracted  
the gem from Ryoko's wrist. The shackle and arm released Ryoko and she rubbed  
her wrist. "I hate that part."  
Washu picked up the gem and placed it in a small canister. "There that  
ought to take care of that. Now you've got school tomorrow, so get some sleep.  
You might be able to get two more hours in."  
"Yay, two whole hours."  
"Now."  
"Yes, Mother. I'm going, I'm going." She turned around and left Washu to  
her work. She laid down in her bed and began to drift off into sleep. The last thing  
she saw before slipping into sleep was her imaginary projection of Tenchi on the  
ceiling. She smiled and said, "Good night, Tenchi..."  
Washu watched her daughter fall asleep and smiled. She typed a sequence  
on a control panel and the image of Tenchi, which Ryoko thought she had  
imagined, sprawled on the ceiling disappeared. "Good night Ryoko." 


	5. No Need for Experiments

No Need for Experiments  
  
"Come on, Tenchi! I'm not going to have to drag you the whole way  
home, am I?" asked a cyan-haired girl to a boy her age.  
Tenchi was at a dead run trying to keep up with the girl who had a  
death lock grip on his arm. "Well maybe if you weren't flying, I could keep  
up with you!"  
"Excuses, excuses."  
The two 15 year-olds were returning from a half-day of school. They  
were heading to Ryoko's house. Tenchi only knew that Washu wanted to  
see him. "Ryoko, slow down! I can't feel my arm."  
Suddenly another female yelled, "RYOKO!"  
Tenchi flinched at the sound of the girl's voice. "Oh, no! Ayeka!"  
A fuming lavender-haired girl stormed up to the duo and stared  
menacingly at Ryoko. "What do you think you're doing!?! Let go of Tenchi  
this second!"  
"Here we go again," muttered Tenchi under his breath.  
"Why do you care, Ayeka? It's not like he's your boyfriend, is it?"  
asked Ryoko.  
Ayeka blushed, but then turned fiercely angry. "Of course not! But  
Tenchi and I have known each other since were six, and I feel that's it's my  
duty to make sure you don't bother him!" She grasped Tenchi's arm and  
tugged in the other direction. "Let go of him!"  
"Make me!" she also pulled.  
Tenchi felt like he would split in half at any time. "Ayeka, I already  
tried! She's got an impossible grip!"  
"And stubborn too. So why don't you let go of him, and leave him all  
to Ryoko," suggested Ryoko. "You can see he wants me."  
"That's not what I meant at all! You two are going to rip me in half!"  
"She's not that strong. I can outpull her!" insisted Ayeka. The two  
girls redoubled their efforts.  
"Girls, stop this right now!" They both either didn't hear him or just  
didn't care. "Aw, man. I don't need this kind of trouble!"  
A smaller voice erupted from behind them, "Ayeka! What are you  
doing?"  
Ayeka and Ryoko turned their heads to see a small girl with blue hair  
and pink eyes. "Sasami?" Ayeka was caught off guard and her grip on  
Tenchi's arm weakened ever so slightly. Ryoko took advantage of the  
moment and gave a final tug on Tenchi. Tenchi's arm slipped from Ayeka's  
grip and he and Ryoko went sprawling backwards into a rather  
compromising position.  
"Gee, Tenchi. I figured we'd make out later but if you want to do it  
now, far be it for me to disagree." She placed her hands around Tenchi's  
neck and pulled him down for a kiss.  
Tenchi tucked his head into his chest and slipped out of her hands and  
quickly stood up. "What are you talking about?!?"  
"Relax, Tenchi. I was only joking," Ryoko said as she stood up.  
Tenchi rubbed the back of his neck. She had a strong grip. "Well it  
didn't seem that funny to me."  
"That's only because you're too tense. Plus we didn't get to see the  
reaction on Ayeka's face, because she's arguing with that little girl. Who is  
she anyway?" explained Ryoko. Indeed Ayeka was engaged in a  
conversation with Sasami, which involved Sasami occasionally glancing  
over at Tenchi and Ryoko, and Ayeka blushing often.  
"That's Sasami, Ayeka's little sister. This could take a while."  
"Yeah, Ayeka's quite the debater, isn't she?"  
"Well, you're not exactly a pacifist yourself, you know."  
"But Tenchi, you've seen how mean she is to me," she said  
innocently.  
"You're kidding, right? Who starts all the fights?" said Tenchi  
accusingly.  
Ryoko opened her mouth to say something smart but was interrupted  
by Sasami clearing her throat. "Ayeka would like to say something to you,  
Tenchi."  
Ayeka looked at the ground and said, "Lord Tenchi, I'm sorry I acted  
as I did."  
Tenchi winced when Ayeka used his title. It sounded so unfamiliar.  
"Uh... no need for apologies, Ayeka."  
"Great, great, you said sorry, you accepted apology. Can we go now?"  
interrupted Ryoko.  
"Honestly, Ryoko! You have no patience! And just where are you in  
such a hurry to?"  
Ryoko couldn't resist making Ayeka angry just one more time. She  
draped her left arm over Tenchi's neck and ran her right index finger up and  
down Tenchi's chest in small circles, causing Tenchi to blush and  
sweatdrop. "Why were going to my room, of course."  
"And why's that?"  
"Can't you guess?"  
"WHAT!?!" Tenchi exclaimed.  
Ayeka rolled up her sleeves and stomped forward. Electricity seemed  
to crackle out of the girls' eyes  
"Oh, no!" Tenchi slipped from Ryoko's grasp and back away. He  
turned around and ran at full speed behind a tree. This was _not_ good.  
Then he remember the littlest of the four was still in harm's way. Tenchi  
quickly dashed from behind the tree and yelled, "Sasami! Get out of there!"  
He sprinted forward and grabbed Sasami. He then ran back to his hiding  
place where he found it safe to rest.  
"Tenchi, what's going on?" asked the nine year-old.  
He sighed and replied, "Nothing that we can stop. It's just best if we  
hang back and let this blow over." After a pause to hear Ryoko exchange an  
insult with Ayeka followed by an equally offensive one from Ayeka. "Then  
again this probably isn't far enough. What do you say we go to my house  
and I'll fix you a snack?"  
"Really? Let's go!" exclaimed Sasami.  
In a few minutes they arrived at Tenchi's house and he began to make  
a small batch of noodles for Sasami. When he saw that it was edible, he  
fixed a batch for himself.  
"When do you think Ayeka and that other girl will realize we're  
gone?" asked Sasami after swallowing a mouthful of noodles.  
Tenchi laughed and answered, "I don't know, Sasami. You know how  
stubborn your sister can get. And Ryoko's five times worse."  
"Ryoko? The 'Devil Caller'?" noticed Sasami.  
"You're right! Her name does mean 'Devil Caller!' Weird." Yet  
somehow appropriate. Tenchi sighed, but then stiffened when he heard a  
noise. "Hey Sasami, did you hear something?"  
"Huh?" Sasami strained to hear. She too heard something. "Yeah, it  
sounded like it came from your room."  
Tenchi gulped, got up, and headed down the hallway to his room. Of  
course I had to leave Sword Tenchi in there, thought Tenchi. Suddenly,  
they both heard a crackle of energy and someone yelling, "DAMN!"  
Tenchi relaxed once he recognized the voice. He shoved the door  
open and exclaimed, "Little Washu!"  
Standing in the room was a twelve-year old girl with long, red, spiky  
hair. Tenchi couldn't believe his eyes. The girl looked like Washu, but she  
was just a kid!  
"Oh hi, Tenchi! What's the matter? Haven't you seen a cute little girl  
before?" said Washu with a devilish gleam in her green eyes.  
"But... but... but..."  
"Tenchi! Who's this?" piped Sasami.  
"Uh... Sasami, this is Little Washu. Little Washu, this is Sasami,  
Ayeka's little sister," introduced Tenchi. "Uh... Little Washu, can I have a  
word with you in private?" Washu nodded and she and Tenchi walked into  
his bathroom. "What the hell are you doing here?!?" he yelled.  
"Why when you and Ryoko didn't come home I thought you two  
might be in your room," she replied. "And then I saw the sword and I just  
had to see it..."  
"Yeah I heard the rest, but your form... you look like a kid!"  
"Yeah, so?"  
Tenchi sighed, "Nevermind. Ryoko said that you wanted to see me."  
"Yes, I wanted to see you in my lab."  
"Well, I'm a little busy right now."  
"Yes, I saw the girl. No matter she can come with us."  
"Uh-uh! No way! It's bad enough that Ayeka found out about Kagato,  
I don't need Sasami to be put at risk."  
"Don't worry. I'll wipe her memory after we leave."  
"You sure?"  
"Of course I'm sure, Tenchi. I'm Little Washu, the Greatest Scientific  
Genius in the Universe!"  
Tenchi smiled and said, "Thanks, Washu. All right, I'm ready."  
Washu and Tenchi exited the bathroom and called Sasami. The trio went  
over to the Hakubi household and Washu led them to a broom closet. She  
opened the door and music began to play. Duuuh, duh duh duh, duh duh duh  
duuuh!  
"'Dexter's Laboratory', except the last note's a half-step higher,"  
explained Washu before either of them could ask. The two humans entered  
the closet and gasped at the expanse of Washu's Lab. One thing was for  
sure, this wasn't a broom closet. "Follow me, you two." Washu led them to  
a small metallic platform. "All right, Tenchi stand right over there."   
Tenchi stood on the platform and asked, "Like this?"  
"Perfect," replied Washu as she pressed a button. Suddenly four  
mechanical limbs clamped down on each of Tenchi's wrists and ankles.  
They then proceeded to pull Tenchi into a horizontal position several feet of  
the ground. Washu reached underneath a control panel and pulled out a  
hypodermic needle.  
Sasami said, "Um... Washu that's not such a good idea..."  
Washu turned to face Sasami and asked, "Why? It's just a needle."  
"Needle!!!!!" Tenchi began to squirm trying to get out of the grip of  
the mechanical limbs.  
"Tenchi hates needles," Sasami stated.  
"I see," said Washu. She didn't want to hurt the guy, and if he was so  
tense she knew she was going to hit muscle. "Hey Sasami. How would you  
like to be my assistant?"  
"Oh would I! What should I do?"  
"I only need you to do one thing, keep Tenchi from moving."  
"But won't that hurt him?"  
"No, you just need to find a way to tire him out, then he won't have  
enough energy to move."  
"Hmm..." Sasami giggled. "I know!" She walked up to Tenchi's  
levitated body. "Hey Washu! Can you lower him a little bit?"  
Washu nodded and pressed few buttons and Tenchi was lowered a  
couple feet. Sasami moved to his feet and removed his shoes and socks.  
Washu was still puzzled.  
"No! Sasami you wouldn't!" Tenchi sweatdropped.  
Sasami giggled and pulled out a feather out of nowhere. And... well...  
you can assume the rest.  
After ten minutes of Sasami's "torture" Tenchi was too tired to do  
anything but just hang there. "Wow, Assistant Sasami. You are a very  
effective helper," remarked Washu. She produced her syringe and raised  
Tenchi high to where she could stand underneath him. She injected the  
needle an inch above Tenchi's waistline, and removed a blood sample. She  
then pressed another button and the mechanical limbs released Tenchi who  
fell with a _thud_. Washu then quickly placed a weird helmet on Tenchi's  
head. Suddenly a small disk appeared in front of Tenchi's eyes. "All right,  
Tenchi. See if you can manipulate this disk to form the most complex shape  
you can."  
Tenchi nodded and concentrated. The disk slowly formed into a an  
egg shape. He strained to make it more of a sphere, but he couldn't quite do  
it. Meanwhile, Washu was studying a computer screen. "Are you sure you  
can't make that a perfect sphere?"  
"I'm trying, Little Washu." Tenchi sighed. "Sorry. I just can't do it."  
Suddenly Tenchi, Sasami, and Washu heard a load noise followed by  
a slamming door, then cursing, then a door opening, then a door closing.  
Ayeka came storming into the room followed quickly by Ryoko.  
Remarkably neither of them had a bruise on them.  
The small object in front of Tenchi turned into a more teardrop shape,  
or a sweatdrop...  
"Tenchi!" Ryoko leapt at him.  
"No! Ryoko, stop!" WHAM! The force of Ryoko's charge sent  
Tenchi into a wall with Ryoko squeezing him _hard_. "Hi... Ryoko. Good to  
see you too. But..."  
"But what Tenchi?"  
"Air.. not... reaching... lungs..."  
"Whoops! Sorry, Tenchi," she apologized as she reluctantly let go of  
Tenchi.  
"Miss Ryoko, you must stop annoying Tenchi like that!"  
"I still don't understand what you're problem is! It's perfectly normal  
for two people in lo-" Ryoko's sentence was cut off as Tenchi put a hand  
over her mouth.  
"No more fighting today, you got it?"  
Ryoko growled under her breath but agreed.  
"Ayeka?"  
"Are you implying that I have anything to do with these fights? She's  
the one who..."  
"Ayeka!"  
"Fine, fine."  
"Good."  
"You know I hate to interrupt this little meeting, but I need to tell  
Ryoko that I've finished working on Ryo-ohki," interjected Washu.  
"Ryo-ohki?"  
"Oh really, Mom! Yes! Come on, Tenchi I'll show you." Ryoko  
grabbed Tenchi's arm and she led Tenchi to a large door, followed quickly  
by Ayeka. Ryoko punched several buttons on a keyboard and the door  
opened revealing a large spaceship. It had a pinkish orb in the center. On the  
attached to the bottom of the pink orb was a mass of white that formed  
several spikes. Radiating around the orb above the white mass were four  
large black spikes.  
"Woah," Tenchi said awe-stricken. "Is that your ship, Ryoko?"  
"Yes, Mom finally fixed it. Kagato had it set so that I could only fly  
her with his permission, but Mom was able to hack through his codes. She's  
all mine now."  
"Ryoko, why do you keep calling Ryo-ohki 'her?'" asked Ayeka.   
"Because that's what it is. It's a girl."  
"Woah! This thing is a living ship?!" exclaimed Tenchi.  
"Yes, we've been through a lot haven't we Ryo-ohki?" said Ryoko to  
the ship. She grabbed Tenchi's hand and placed it against the hull of the  
ship. Tenchi suppressed a gasp as he felt that the ship was warm and had a  
steady rise and fall, like it was breathing. Tenchi jumped back in surprise as  
he heard a purring noise.  
Ryoko smiled and said, "It likes you, Tenchi. Come on I'll take you  
for a ride." Before Tenchi could object Ryoko grabbed him and she walked  
right through the ships hull.  
"Miss Ryoko! What do you think you're doing? Let Tenchi out now!"  
demanded Ayeka.  
"Oh, don't worry so much Ayeka. After all if you don't trust me come  
on in," Ryoko said as she pulled Ayeka through.  
"Ryo-ohki! Let's go!"  
  



	6. No Need for an Attack

"No Need for an Attack"   
  
Ryo-ohki let out a loud "Miya!" as she flew out the room she was   
contained in and into a portal Washu had designed for her to be able to fly   
in a large area and still be unnoticed by Earthlings. Ryo-ohki was ecstatic.   
She had never felt so free, she was now free of the limitations that Kagato   
had put on her.   
"Wow! This is amazing, Ryoko!" said Tenchi gawking at the interior.   
A lot of the walls were covered in a reflective coating. He grinned as he   
looked in one of the walls. It was distorted making it sort of a fun house   
mirror. "Hey, Ayeka! Check this out," said Tenchi as he flexed and used the   
wall to make his biceps appear to tower over his head.   
Ayeka giggled. "Tenchi, do you ever take anything seriously?"   
"Nope," Tenchi replied.   
Ayeka locked arms with Tenchi and leaned her head against his   
shoulder. She loved him. Yeah, sure she had always loved him in that   
brotherly kind of way when they were kids. But this was different.   
Something had changed her mind over the past few days. Maybe it was that   
he was cracking jokes even though there was a good chance he would die   
tomorrow. A tear fell down her face. thought Ayeka.   
A tear streamed down her cheek and onto Tenchi's arm.   
At this point Tenchi was used to having a girl attached to his arm and,   
beyond a slight blush, it didn't affect him much anymore. "Hey, what's the   
matter, Ayeka?"   
Ayeka quickly responded, "Oh, nothing. Come on, let's go see the   
cockpit."   
"Um... OK..." They caught up to Ryoko in the cockpit. The cockpit   
was amazing. The walls above and to sides of the riders were transparent   
giving the impression that there was nothing between them and the stars.   
Also in the cockpit were several crystals surrounding a chair that Ryoko was   
sitting in.   
"Hey, slowpokes, what to-" her sentence was cut off when Ryoko saw   
Ayeka basically hugging Tenchi's arm. "Hey! Hey! Hey! What do you think   
you're doing?!" Ryoko demanded.   
"Remember our promise, Ryoko. No more fighting today," warned   
Ayeka with a sneaky smile across her face.   
Ryoko growled under her breath, but suddenly a mischievous gleam   
appeared in her eyes. She suddenly   
clamped on Tenchi's other arm and led him to a transparent wall. "Aren't   
they beautiful, Tenchi?"   
Outside were several bioluminescent creatures flashing in an array of   
neon colors. "Wow, they are."   
"Yeah and I hear the lights of Tokyo are also beautiful at night," she   
said followed by a devilish chuckle.   
"Yeah, they call it the 'Metropolis of Neon,'" informed Ayeka.   
Tenchi turned to Ryoko and said, "You aren't thinking about..."   
Ryoko's response was an impish grin.   
"No way, Ryoko! We are definitely _not_ going to Tokyo!" said   
Tenchi.   
-One hour later...-   
"I can't believe we're flying over Tokyo..."   
"Oh come on Tenchi. Just sit back and enjoy the show it's not like   
anyone is seeing us anyway. We are black on black," reassured Ryoko.   
"Yes for once I agree with Ryoko. Tokyo's lights are very beautiful   
and romantic," replied Ayeka. She squeezed Tenchi's arm tighter.   
Tenchi thought. He   
sighed.   
"You now what you guys? You're right. I should just relax. Like you   
said they are rather impressive, aren't they."   
-Meanwhile... in space...-   
Kagato gently rolled his glass of wine around. "Now let's see how   
Ryoko and Washu are doing," Kagato suggested to no one at all. He pressed   
a small button on a glass keyboard and an image of Washu appeared before   
him. She was, of course, working away at some project. Kagato frowned   
when he noticed Ryoko wasn't in the house or Tenchi's. He waved his hand   
over another control panel and the computer locked onto Ryoko's biosignal.   
He growled and crushed the glass he was holding in his hand. He did _not_   
like what he saw. For one thing, she was in Ryo-ohki and he had not given   
the order for it to be activated. If that wasn't enough she was holding...   
HIM! Kagato fumed. Kagato mused. An evil   
smile slowly crept across his face. Kagato threw his head back and   
laughed maniacally. "Enjoy yourself Ryoko. Your beloved Tenchi dies   
tonight!"   
-Back in Ryo-ohki...-   
"Miya! Miya! Miya!" Ryo-ohki uh... said.   
"Huh," said Tenchi. "Ryoko, what's she saying?"   
Ryoko groaned. "Incoming transmission from the lab. Probably   
Washu telling us to come back."   
A panel appeared on the wall in front of Tenchi, Ryoko, and Ayeka.   
"What is it, Mom?" Ryoko asked sternly.   
"You might want to get back here now," Washu said.   
"And why's that?" Ryoko wondered.   
"Because you're almost out of fuel!" Washu shouted. "I didn't have   
enough time to fill the tank before you took off."   
"Oh, heheheh," Ryoko chuckled nervously.   
Tenchi sweatdropped and said, "Yeah, that's something kind of   
important, huh?"   
"Sorry. We're on our way back, Mom. Over and out."   
Washu kicked back and put her feet on the desk. She didn't want to   
break off her joyride with Tenchi and Ayeka, but it was that or become   
Tokyo's newest pothole. Suddenly a gloved hand clamped over Washu's mouth and pulled   
her out of her chair. She bit down hard on it and turned around to see her   
assailant.   
She gasped. The figure picked up a heavy tool and hit Washu hard   
across the face sending her crumpling to the ground. "Ka...Kagato... you   
bas..." she slumped into unconsciousness.   
-A few minutes later...-   
"Mom, we're home!" Ryoko called. There was no response.   
"Little Washu!" Ayeka yelled.   
Tenchi heard soft crying. "Sasami?" He walked towards the source of   
the sound. He found Sasami hiding in a dark crevasse in the wall. Her   
cheeks were streaked with tears.   
"Sasami? What's the matter?" Tenchi asked the scared little girl.   
She rushed forward and embraced him. "Oh, Tenchi. It was terrible,   
he took Washu and..."   
"Shh, now calm down Sasami. Who took Washu?"   
She sobbed, "I don't know his name. He had green hair and white   
gloves and... wait! I think Washu called him Kagato."   
"Kagato! Damn him," Tenchi cursed.   
"Tenchi, I'm scared!"   
"Don't worry, Sasami. You're safe now," comforted Tenchi.   
Suddenly Tenchi heard screaming. He gasped, "Ryoko! Ayeka!" He made a   
mad dash towards the origin of the cries. He froze dead in his tracks when   
he arrived. Ryoko's and Ayeka's limp bodies levitated three feet off of the   
ground. Hovering near them was an adult male with long green hair.   
The man laughed sinisterly, "Ah, Tenchi Masaki. We finally meet.   
I've been watching you boy for a long time now."   
"You must be Kagato," said Tenchi. "I've been waiting a long time to   
meet you face to face. Well... two days... but that's beside the point..." He   
withdrew Sword Tenchi from his back pants pocket.   
Kagato laughed and shook his head. "No, there is not enough room   
for me to fight you here. I'm taking Ryoko and this other one to my ship. I   
will fight you there. Unless of course you which for harm to come to your   
friends and Washu."   
"Kagato, you coward! Leave them out of this!" Tenchi demanded.   
"I think not. Consider them insurance to make sure you show up.   
Good-bye, Masaki," he laughed one more time as he grabbed Ayeka and   
Ryoko and pulled them through a portal that appeared out of nowhere.   
"No! Kagato, come back here!" he lunged at the gateway, but it   
dematerialized before he could enter it. The frustration came over Tenchi.   
"DAMN HIM!" He attempted to slow his breathing to calm himself down.   
"Ryoko, Ayeka!" He clenched his fists tightly and gritted his teeth. The time   
for waiting was over. It was time for the confrontation.   
"T-T-Tenchi?"   
"Sasami!" He turned to see her quivering. She was _really_ scared.   
"Where's Ayeka? And Ryoko?"   
"Sasami, Kagato's got them."   
"Oh, no!" she cried as she began to bawl again.   
"Sasami, you've got to calm down. They'll be OK. I'll make sure of   
it," Tenchi consoled. He stood up and turned to walk back to Ryo-ohki.   
"Come on follow me. I'll take you home."   
Sasami sniffled and replied, "OK." She followed him until they came   
to a giant ship.   
Tenchi   
recalled. "Um... Ryo-ohki? I got the name right didn't I?" he said timidly.   
The only way he was going to have a chance of operating this thing was if   
he got her to be, for lack of a better word, a friend. "Ryo-ohki, this is   
Ayeka's little sister, Sasami," he presented.   
"Um, Tenchi. Who are you talking to?"   
"Sasami, this is Ryoko's _living_ ship. Its- I mean- her name is   
Ryo-ohki. Ryo-ohki, your master's in trouble."   
"Miya!" Ryo-ohki yelped.   
"Yeah, Ryoko, Washu, and Ayeka were captured by Kagato, and I   
need to get them back."   
"MIYA!" Ryo-ohki growled.   
Tenchi gulped. He hoped she was growling at Kagato and not at him.   
"Can you take me to him?" Tenchi asked.   
"Miya!" she said affirmatively.   
"But first we got to drop of Sasami at her house, OK?"   
"Miya, miya!" Ryo-ohki said in almost an impatient tone.   
"Thanks. Come on, Sasami," instructed Tenchi as he stepped through   
the hull.   
"Huh?" said a confused Sasami. She gulped and timidly followed   
Tenchi.   
"All right Ryo-ohki, I'll lead you to Sasami's house then it's after   
Kagato."   
"Miya!" exclaimed the ship as she launched from the lab.   
Unfortunately, neither Tenchi nor Sasami has time to strap in and it sent   
them sprawling across the floor. Fortunately for Sasami, Tenchi's stomach   
broke her fall.   
"Whoops! Sorry, Tenchi," the blue-haired girl apologized.   
"It's OK."   
"Ummm... could you get off my ponytail?"   
Tenchi chuckled nervously and stood up. He made his way to the   
chair in the middle of the cockpit and sat in it. He directed Ryo-ohki to   
Sasami's house.   
-Meanwhile in the _Souja_-   
Ryoko slowly opened her eyes and found her own vague reflection.   
Beyond the reflection she saw Kagato, her back to her. She growled and   
attempted to form her energy sword, but found it impossible to even move.   
She looked down and saw that she was submerged in a blue, putty-like   
substance from the chest down. She had seen this before. When Kagato had   
captured somebody, he sometimes put them in a large glass structure and   
trapped them in this same substance. Then he would force them to watch   
some horrible event, like the destroying of their planet. Ryoko thought horridly.   
In the corner of her eye she saw movement. Ayeka was also in a   
similar structure and was waking up.   
"T-T-Tenchi..." she heard her mutter. Apparently the structures were   
somehow linked for some reason in Kagato's warped mind.   
"Hey, wait a sec... Where's Mom?!" Ryoko demanded.   
Kagato turned to face the two girls and replied, "Ah, dear Ryoko I see   
you're awake."   
"Don't give me that 'dear Ryoko' crap! Where's Mom?!" she   
repeated through gritted teeth.   
Kagato smirked and turned the chair next to him to reveal an   
unconscious Washu constrained to it with energy binds. Dried blood   
streaked the right side of her head. "You happy now?"   
Right as Ryoko was about to make a snappy retort Ayeka interjected,   
"My house!"   
Ryoko looked up at the large view-screen in front of them. It showed   
a large residential area with Ayeka's household in the middle of it all. A   
gleam caught Ryoko's eye. "Ryo-ohki! But who could be driving it?"   
Ryoko mused.   
Ayeka gasped, "Tenchi! It has to be I can feel it."   
"Yes, it is the boy. You see I used you two as bait to lead him to me."   
"But how'd you know he'd be here?" Ryoko wondered.   
"Well, you see when I attacked Washu, I saw a young blue-haired   
girl. I paid her no mind as she ran to hide, but afterwards I decided to find   
out who it was..."   
"Sasami!" Ayeka exclaimed.   
"Yes, you're little sister. I found out by reading all three of your   
memories. After gathering more information on Tenchi's nature, I figured   
he would take your beloved Sasami home so she wouldn't be in danger, so   
here we are." Kagato grinned. "I'll give him a welcome he won't soon   
forget."   
"Kagato, you wouldn't dare..." Washu piped from the chair. "He   
doesn't know how to use Ryo-ohki's weapon systems..." Washu paused   
obviously in pain. "He won't stand a chance..."   
Ayeka and Ryoko's eyes filled with fear as Washu revealed this piece   
of information.   
"Then I guess he won't be much fun then." Kagato sighed. "But if   
what the legend says is true then the boy will defeat me, so I propose a   
theory, Washu. What is stronger fate or the _Souja_'s cannons? Let's find   
out."   
"No... Kagato you can't... he's just a boy..." Washu pleaded.   
As Ryo-ohki's image enlarged in the view-screen a small dome   
opened up on one of his keyboards revealing a small red button. "Say   
good-bye to your precious ones, girls." Kagato slammed his fist onto the   
button. All the cannons on the exterior of the _Souja_ trained their lasers on   
the small crystalline-shaped Ryo-ohki and fired. The blasts hit Ryo-ohki,   
engulfing it in flames. 


	7. No Need for an Assault

No Need for an Assault  
  
As Tenchi flew towards the Jurai household, something caught his eye. "Oh,  
no!" It was a huge starship armed to the teeth with blasters. "Ryo-ohki, what the  
hell is that?!"   
"Miya!!!!!" Ryo-okhi exclaimed in a panicked tone. Tenchi really didn't  
need Ryo-ohki to confirm that was Kagato's ship. He didn't think the Navy had  
any of those handy. He watched trapped in a horrific trance as the cannons began  
to glow with a green light. The ship was going to fire.  
Sasami obviously came to the same conclusion as she screamed, "Tenchi!"  
Sasami's shrill voice snapped Tenchi out of his trance and he leapt at one of  
the floating crystals in a desperate attempt to maneuver out of the destruction's  
path.  
-Aboard the _Souja_-  
Kagato slammed his fist onto the button. All the cannons on the exterior of  
the _Souja_ trained their lasers on the small crystalline-shaped Ryo-ohki and fired.  
The blasts hit engulfing Ryo-ohki in flames.  
Ryoko went completely numb. The event that she had been dreading for  
days had happened. Tenchi was dead. The cruel laughter of Kagato faded into the  
back of her mind as the past week she had spent with Tenchi replayed over her  
mind. Water formed in her eyes and she realized that she was crying. For the first  
time she could remember she was crying.  
But Ayeka was suffering a much different reaction. Whereas Ryoko had  
spent about nine days with Tenchi, Ayeka had spent nine _years_ with Tenchi and  
she had lost her sister. Deep inside something snapped within her. Quite literally  
Ayeka lost control as something else took supremacy...  
Ryoko's head sagged. Tenchi, I've lost you, she thought. An ear-splitting  
scream penetrated her thoughts. Ryoko turned her head to see that, not  
surprisingly, it came from Ayeka. This scream however was not of pain, but of  
anger and hatred. Ryoko's eyes widened as Ayeka began to undergo a subtle  
transformation. Her eyes did not quite change color, but they changed. They were  
filled with prestige and pride. Suddenly an odd symbol appeared on her forehead.  
That symbol... That was on the tree! Ryoko mused. A fiery aura seemed to  
radiate from Ayeka and the glass began to crack.  
"Kagato," she snapped, her voice full of new confidence and authority.  
"You have committed an intolerable act against the Jurai Royal Family. What do  
you have to say for yourself?" The glass completely shattered sending the blue  
putty all over the polished floor of the _Souja_.  
Kagato turned on his heel to face this arrogant teen. "And what do you  
know of the Jurai Royal Family?"  
"I am Princess Akeya, and you have just commenced in the murder of  
Prince Yosho and Princess Tsunami."  
Kagato chuckled then broke out into a fit of sinister laughter. "So I was  
correct. You three do hold the resurrected spirits of the Jurai Royal Family. How  
delightfully ironic."  
"Oh my God..." Washu started but she could not finish her statement. Shock  
came into her eyes a she stared out into the viewport. No way. This is  
impossible.  
Kagato turned around to face the screen and exclaimed, "No way!"  
The smoke had finally cleared revealing Ryo-ohki to still be intact though  
severely damaged.  
"The cockpit's still in one piece!" Ryoko exclaimed. It was at this point  
Ryoko noticed that Ryo-ohki was getting bigger and bigger. The _Souja_ lurched  
as Ryo-ohki crashed into it, the gray spikes clearing Kagato's right cheek by about  
two inches.  
Tenchi appeared at from one of the spikes farther away from Kagato, Sword  
Tenchi in hand.   
"Yosho!" Ay- err... Akeya- Akeya ran towards Tenchi and embraced him in  
a tight hug causing Tenchi to blush intensely.  
"Uhh... Ayeka, I'm glad to see you're all right," Tenchi responded after  
regaining his composure. He glanced up at the glass structure to se a grinning  
Ryoko. "Good to see you're _both_ alive and well."  
Akeya took one step back and examined Tenchi. "You're not Yosho, are  
you?"  
Tenchi looked into Akeya's eyes and knew something was different. "No  
my name's Tenchi."  
"And I am not Ayeka. My name is Princess Akeya of Jurai."  
"Akeya?! From the legend?!" Tenchi exclaimed.  
"There is no time to explain now! I will assist you in your fight against  
Kagato."  
"No, Princess, this is my fight. Free Ryoko and Little Washu and get ready  
to make a hasty departure."  
Akeya nodded and made her way back to Ryoko's cage.  
Tenchi glared at Kagato. Sword Tenchi suddenly flared up eager for a fight.  
Kagato produced his own sword hilt. This one was larger, like the hilt of a  
broadsword. Black energy erupted forming a large blade teeming with dark, in  
every sense of the word, energy. Running parallel to the blade were two four-inch  
long blades, one on each side. Tenchi gripped his sword tightly and gritted his  
teeth. This was it. He was well aware of the risks and he was not scared.  
"Foolish boy, you don't stand a chance," Kagato sneered.  
Tenchi responded with a lunge for Kagato's throat.  
Kagato easily parried the blow and the fight commenced. Kagato thrust as  
Tenchi parried. Kagato slashed furiously as Tenchi blocked blow after blow.  
Akeya dashed up to the glass tube and extended her hand. A surge of energy  
surged forward shattering the glass and releasing Ryoko.  
Ryoko instinctively made a dash for Tenchi to assist him. Akeya reached  
out and grabbed Ryoko's arm. "What are you doing?! Let me go! I got to help  
Tenchi!"  
Akeya shook her head firmly. "You could not help if I would allow you.  
Yos- Tenchi is the only one who can destroy Kagato. Getting in his way would  
only get you or him hurt. Got it?"  
Ryoko tore her grip from Akeya and stared menacingly into her eyes.  
"Listen _Princess_," she said the last word dripping with disgust. "It's my fault  
that Tenchi's in trouble. You get my mom and I'll help Tenchi!" She turned and  
sprinted towards Tenchi and Kagato, forming an energy sword.  
Tenchi raised his sword in defense as Kagato brought his blade down upon  
Tenchi's head. Kagato pushed harder causing Tenchi to fall to his knees. He was  
using all his energy just trying to hold him. Sweat covered his brow and threatened  
to drip into his eyes. The headband he had been wearing was already soaked and it  
could not absorb any more.  
"Yes, boy by now you must realize that you don't stand a chance," Kagato  
taunted. "Your foolish attempts at saving your precious girlfriends are futile. After  
I'm through with you I'll easily destroy those girls very easily." Kagato laughed.  
"I hope you've said you're good-byes!"  
"Hey, Kagato..." Tenchi said.  
"Shut up!" Ryoko finished as she leapt at her former slaver. She slashed her  
sword down through the air.  
Kagato gracefully leapt to the side and Ryoko missed by a fair margin. "You  
know I always wondered where I went wrong with you, Ryoko. Risking your own  
life for a mere boy that you didn't have enough nerve to kill." Kagato frowned.  
"And you have chosen to fight me without your gems. Foolish girl, those gems  
were perhaps the only chance you had of ever beating me." With a flick of the  
wrist Kagato's sword cleanly rived through Ryoko's own red one.  
Ryoko gritted her teeth and quickly formed a new one. She was determined  
to bring him down.  
She was prepared to attack when Tenchi piped, "Ryoko, you've got to get to  
Ryo-ohki. This is my fight."  
"But Tenchi, I..."  
"Ryoko, go now!" he repeated, more firmly.  
Ryoko began to slowly back away when Kagato exclaimed, "No! When you  
start something with me you must learn to finish it!" He dashed towards Ryoko  
and attacked tumultuously.  
She frantically blocked each attack while backing away. She had never seen  
him attack like this before. He's right, she thought. Without my gems I can't  
even touch him.  
Kagato redoubled his efforts and bashed his blade against Ryoko's and  
shoved her back. He raised his hand and caused a burst of cold air to blow Ryoko  
into one of the walls, her head hitting especially hard. She shook her head of the  
stars that had formed and saw Kagato towering above her.  
Before he could make a move, Kagato was forced away by an energy blast  
from Akeya. "Your reign of terror ends now," she threatened.  
A now free Washu stepped from behind her, "You don't stand a chance  
against the combined forces of the Royal Crowned Princess of Jurai and the  
Greatest Scientific Genius in the Universe."  
Kagato stood shrugged, "Yes very prestigious titles you two. But how this?  
I am the Villainous Space Pirate Kagato, Enslaver of a Thousand Worlds,  
Plunderer of Just as Many, and..." he paused for a moment. "Destroyer of the  
Planet Jurai."  
Akeya gritted her teeth, "So you're the one who destroyed my home world!  
You'll pay Kagato. I swear it."  
Kagato spread his arms out, "Come and get me."  
Washu and Akeya began their assaults of energy blasts on Kagato causing a  
smoke screen to envelop him. Kagato's sinister laughter caused them to stop. "Oh,  
stop please that tickles!"  
Akeya growled and she produced a sword hilt out of no where. The tube  
was about the length of Akeya's forearm. She raised the hilt so it ran vertical and a  
long, green, curved energy blade shot out the upper end.  
Kagato grinned. "A scimitar, huh? How quaint. I've heard of your  
extraordinary skills brandishing it. Let's just see how good you really are."  
Akeya began spinning the blade in full circles and rushed Kagato.  
Kagato brought his sword to bear and easily countered each blow. "Come  
on Princess Akeya, I expected to at least break a sweat against you." Kagato took  
the offensive and soon had Akeya on the run. Kagato smirked and swung his  
sword in a wide arc and the impact launched the scimitar from her hands and onto  
the ground 10 feet away. Akeya faltered and Kagato's arm snapped out faster than  
she could react and Kagato seized her neck. He lifted her up a good two feet of the  
ground.  
Suddenly Washu lurched towards Kagato. Without even turning to her, he  
launched another wind attack which sent her careening next to Ryoko.  
Slowly Akeya began to black out. The image on her forehead gradually  
faded away. Akeya's confident eyes were replaced by Ayeka's confused eyes. As  
she became aware of what was happening she struggled violently and managed to  
spit out, "Tenchi!"  
Tenchi had been watching this whole scene play out, horrified that one of  
his friends would get hurt. He had sort of gone into somewhat of a shock-like  
trance. Ayeka's plead for help had snapped him out of it. He grabbed his sword  
and began to sprint the distance between himself and Kagato.  
Kagato caught this moment in the corner of his eye. He threw Ayeka into  
the rapidly growing pile of bodies near the wall. Then he turned to greet Tenchi  
head on. Kagato was caught off guard by how close the boy was already, but he  
stood his ground. He'll slip up eventually, and when he does he'll be mine!  
Kagato thought. As Tenchi sliced downwards Kagato saw his chance. With a flick  
of the wrist, Kagato caught Sword Tenchi's blade in between one of the four-inch  
long spikes and his own blade. With another flick of the wrist, he wrenched the  
sword away from Tenchi's grip leaving him totally unarmed. Before Tenchi could  
attempt to retrieve his lost weapon, Kagato had his blade pointed at Tenchi's  
Adam's apple.  
He twitched his head towards the fallen hilt, "Pick it up."  
Tenchi slowly bent down and redeemed Sword Tenchi.  
"Now throw it far over there," Kagato commanded again, indicating to the  
left with his free hand.  
Tenchi gulped and reluctantly obeyed, seeing no other way out.  
Kagato grinned, "Now stay out of my way as I rid of these women, Masaki."  
"What?! No you can't!"  
"Don't worry, boy, you'll be joining them soon enough." He grinned as he  
directed the tip of his sword to the girls and chuckled. "Now who will be first?  
The best friend, Ayeka. Or perhaps the devious Ryoko. Or maybe the traitorous  
Washu?" He casually waved his sword back and forth between the three of them  
muttering to himself, "Eeny, meeny, miney, moe..."  
"How about the evil Kagato!" Tenchi suggested.  
Kagato sneered and turned around to face the boy, "How original... what  
the-!"   
Tenchi had grabbed Akeya's energy scimitar and was now quickly  
approaching Kagato. Kagato raised his sword in defense and countered each attack  
with growing ease as the surprise wore off. It was apparent that Tenchi had never  
used such a weapon before and used his advantage to finish him once and for all.  
"You know you heroic types are all the same. You boast about how you're going  
to exact revenge against me for the destruction of some thing or another," Kagato  
informed between blows. "But in the end they all fail!"  
"Oh, yeah? What makes you think that I'm the same way?" Tenchi asked.  
"Because, Tenchi Masaki, you are nothing more than a boy. And I will  
_not_ be defeated by a mere boy!" Kagato found the hole in Tenchi's defenses and  
thrust his sword forward... and straight into Tenchi's gut and out his back.  
  



	8. No Need for a Retreat

"No Need for a Retreat"  
  
Washu knew that they were going to have to make a hasty retreat when  
Sword Tenchi was knocked from Tenchi's hands. As soon as that happened she  
pretended to be unconscious, so Kagato would hopefully look over her while she  
fiddled around in her pocket for the item she was looking for. She grinned as she  
wrapped her fingers around a small sphere. Her eyes snapped open and she gasped  
in shock. "Oh my God..." The image before her horrified her. Kagato's sword was  
thrust through Tenchi's abdomen and jutting out that back.  
Kagato grinned at Tenchi's face. It relayed total shock. Tenchi looked down  
and cringed at the sight of a black energy beam through his stomach. "What's the  
matter, boy? Does it hurt?" Kagato mocked. "Trust me, you haven't felt a thing  
yet." Kagato thrust the sword deeper, causing the small blades to form two more  
wounds. Kagato then twisted his sword upward, lifting Tenchi off the ground.  
Tenchi resisted giving Kagato the pleasure of screaming, but it was hard. Kagato  
continued to lift Tenchi until he was perpendicular to Kagato and directly above  
his head.  
Tenchi felt like he was going to burst. He was in so much pain! Finally  
Tenchi could not hold it in anymore. He screamed as loud as he could. He  
clenched his eyes shut to force back tears. After about two minutes of this grueling  
torture, Tenchi's head hung limp as he slowly began to slip into unconsciousness.  
He looked up and saw Ryoko, Ayeka, and Washu for one last time. He managed to  
utter two words, "I'm sorry." His eyes rolled into the back of his eyes, and he felt  
pain no more.  
Kagato shook his head and scoffed, " 'I'm sorry?' Those are your last  
words? Pitiful." He threw Tenchi's lifeless body to the ground and kicked it aside.  
"KAGATO!" Ryoko screamed. Tears stained her cheeks, forming flowing  
rivers from two yellow seas. "You've taken everything from me! You took my  
childhood, hell, you took my life! But that wasn't enough was it? You forced me  
to do heinous crimes. I watched you slaughter innocents, knowing that one day I  
would have to do the same thing. Then came my first assassination job. It sickened  
me to kill, but I eventually I got used to it knowing that I would die if I didn't.  
Then I met him. He was the perfect guy. He was nice, funny, handsome, and didn't  
give a damn where I came from even after I told him. I loved him, and now you've  
committed the most horrible act conceivable. You killed him! And I won't let you  
get away with it this time!" She formed her energy sword and flourished her  
crimson energy blade. "Or die trying."  
Ayeka stood up next to her and nodded. "And if she doesn't do it, then I'll  
finish the job."  
Kagato laughed, "Oh, is that so? Why do you think that you can defeat me if  
not even the power of the 'Holy Sword' succeeded?"  
"I don't believe in legends. No one's indestructible. Not even you, Kagato,"  
Ayeka retorted.  
Kagato snickered, "Big talk from the one who holds the spirit of a long dead  
princess."  
Washu knew that all hell was going to break loose if she allowed Ryoko and  
Ayeka to duel with Kagato, and most likely the two girls would be killed. She had  
to act fast. She quickly stood up and whistled shrilly to get Kagato's attention.  
"You know what they say about people who run right, Kagato?"  
Kagato frowned, "No, I'm not familiar with that phrase."  
"They who fight and run away..." she started. She suddenly threw down the  
orb she had in her pocket creating a flash of light. When the light receded every  
trace of Washu, Ryoko, Ayeka, Tenchi, and Sasami where gone except for  
Washu's voice echoing, "...live to fight another day."  
"WASHU!!!!!"  
-Elsewhere...-  
Washu shook her head as she assessed Tenchi's condition. It was real bad.  
Luckily, the sword bypassed Tenchi's spinal cord. A couple of centimeters to the  
left and Tenchi would have been paralyzed immediately, assuming he had not  
died. Assuming he still did not die. She was suddenly very glad that she had been  
cautious enough to grab her sphere that would lead her to a back-up lab. It was a  
lot smaller than her normal lab, but it would make do. Plus it had medical  
facilities.  
"Tenchi!" Washu heard a small voice exclaim. Sasami dashed up to her  
fallen friend. "Oh, no! Tenchi, wake up!" She looked up at Washu teary-eyed.  
"You can save him, can't you, Washu?"  
Washu nodded her head and replied, "I'll try my best, Sasami." She turned  
to her daughter and instructed, "Ryoko, help me get this sword out of here now!"  
Ryoko nodded gravely and strode to Tenchi's aide and observed the sword.  
"This isn't going to be easy," she informed. "Those small blades are barbed.  
They're going to do more damage coming out than going in."  
"Well we can't exactly shove the sword through to the other side, can we?"  
Washu snapped impatiently. She shook her head and said in a much calmer voice.  
"We'll just have to be careful. And we've got to hurry. Kagato won't wonder  
where we are for long."  
Ayeka tugged Sasami away from Tenchi's body and forced her to turn  
around while she closed her own eyes. This was not going to be pretty. No, she  
thought, opening her eyes. I have to remain strong for Tenchi's sake.  
Ryoko wrapped her fingers around the hilt of the sword and began to pull,  
trying not to rip Tenchi's innards with it.  
Tenchi cringed, showing that he was still alive. He clenched his teeth and  
opened his eyes slowly. His face was dripping with sweat and it blurred his vision,  
but he was sure he did not like the fact that there was something using him as a  
pincushion. The pain was inconceivable, he could feel the barbs cutting through  
new flesh. He wanted to writhe in agony, but once again had to hold it in. This  
time to avoid taking more damage than he already had. He licked his lips and  
tasted something metallic and realized it was his own blood. Miraculously, Tenchi  
was able to lift his arms and clasp Ryoko's hands in his own, tightening her grip  
on the sword.  
Ryoko blushed slightly as Tenchi's fingers interlaced with her own. This  
might be the closest we get to holding hands. She suddenly shook her head trying  
to rid herself of such talk. There would be plenty of time to hold hands with  
Tenchi later. He would get through this.  
"Ryoko," she heard him say. His voice was small and raspy, so she had to  
lean closer and strain to hear. "It's like a bandage. You just got to rip it out as fast  
as you can." With that Tenchi pushed up abruptly, ripping the sword from his  
paunch in one swift motion. The pain was unbearable! He let out a long scream of  
pure suffering, and slowly began to lose consciousness. He managed a weak smile  
as he passed out, all his muscles relaxing once more.  
Sasami tore away from her sister, tears staining her cheeks, and ran to  
Tenchi, hugging his inanimate body. "Please, don't leave us, Tenchi," she  
whispered. "All of us would be lost without you. Even though they may be too  
proud to show it, every one of them have fallen for your pure heart. Each one of us  
cares about you more than you might know. So you've got to hold on. We all love  
you, Tenchi. And that's all that matters, right?"  
The others could do nothing but watch in reverence. Tears ran freely to the  
ground. They all knew the truth in those words. The small nine-year old had seen  
past their ruses and saw what really lied in their thoughts.  
Ayeka approached her sister and kneeled down to her height. "Don't worry,  
Sasami." She managed her best smile and said, "Tenchi would never leave us. This  
is Tenchi we're talking about. He would rather stay here and tell us his bad jokes  
and tease us than leave right?"  
Sasami turned to face Ayeka and nodded, "Remember that one time he  
carried you all the way home over his shoulder, with you kicking and screaming  
all the way." Sasami giggled as Ayeka blushed profoundly.  
Ryoko smiled as she picked up Tenchi. Don't worry, Tenchi. We'll have a  
chance to make those kind of memories after we take care of Kagato.  
Washu stood up and motioned for everyone to follow her. Ayeka picked up  
Sasami and followed. Ryoko also complied. She lead them to a room with one  
long bed. "Put Tenchi on there," Washu instructed. When Ryoko conformed an  
electrical field encased Tenchi, making the table a base of a semi-cylinder. Washu  
typed a few things on the computer and shook her head. She turned to the others  
and said, "You guys better get some rest. This is going to take all night."  
Ryoko looked over to Tenchi's body and debated to take Washu's advice or  
not.  
"Don't worry. I'll wake everybody up if something new develops," Washu  
informed when she saw Ryoko's glance.  
"But you said it wouldn't take long for Kagato to figure out where we  
were," Ayeka argued.  
"I said it wouldn't take him long to know that we were in my back-up lab. I  
didn't say he knew where the back-up lab was. Besides look at you two. How do  
expect to fight in this condition?"  
Ayeka's shoulders sagged as she realized that Washu was right. "All right,  
Little Washu. Could you show us to a place we might be able to get some rest?"  
Washu nodded, "Of course." She opened her mouth to tell her daughter to  
follow her, but thought better of it. She walked down a corridor as Ayeka and  
Sasami followed.  
Ryoko stared at the unmoving body and strode forward to it. She collapsed  
to her knees in front of the medical bed and sobbed. "This is all my fault, Tenchi.  
Everything bad that's happened to you has been _my_ fault! Why didn't I just stay  
detached from you and kill you quickly instead of putting you through all of this  
pain?" She swallowed hard. She already knew the answer to that question. "But I  
can't help but think that this might be our last moments that we could have  
together, so I think there's something I should tell you, even if you are  
unconscious. Tenchi Masaki, I love you. I love you with every inch of my being.  
When I first set my eyes on you I thought you were just another pretty boy. When I  
got to know how caring you really were though..." Her voice broke. She realized  
she was crying again. "I couldn't help all these feelings that overwhelmed me. I  
know I tease you a lot and flirt with you and tell you that it's just to make Ayeka  
mad, but I do those kind of things because I never want to lose you. Though it is  
funny to see Ayeka get mad. What Sasami said... it scared me. The truth hurts and  
it scared me to realize that I wouldn't know what to do without you." She opened  
her mouth to speak but was interrupted by Tenchi's voice.  
"Ryoko..." he muttered.  
Ryoko blushed profoundly. Did he just hear everything I just said?!  
Tenchi's body began to shiver violently and he kept muttering incoherently.  
"Tenchi, what's the matter?" Ryoko asked desperately. Tenchi's eyes slowly  
opened. They were glazed over, and he seemed to be staring beyond Ryoko as if  
he could see straight through her. He blinked is eyes slowly and focused on  
Ryoko.  
"Ryoko, it's just you," he gasped for air. "I thought I saw Kagato. I heard  
somebody talking too."  
Ryoko shook her head. "Just me babbling to someone who doesn't have a  
choice but to hear."  
Tenchi smiled, "I see. You know if you ever want to talk, you don't have to  
wait for me to be unconscious."  
Ryoko blushed slightly, "That's awfully sweet of you."  
Tenchi shook his head. "Think nothing of it. We're friends, and that's what  
friends do right?"  
Ryoko sighed, "I wouldn't know, Tenchi. I've never had any friends before.  
Never stayed long enough one a single planet to make one. You've been my first  
true friend."  
Tenchi chuckled weakly.  
"What?! What's so funny?!" Ryoko demanded.  
"It's awfully ironic, don't you think? Bet you'd never think you'd make a  
friend out of a target, huh?"  
Ryoko grimaced, "It's not like I wanted to kill you, Tenchi. It's just  
something I had to do, you know." She flinched as Tenchi reached through the  
field and put his hand on hers.  
"Ryoko, I forgive you. It's not your fault. I will destroy Kagato for what  
he's made you do."  
"Tenchi, no offense or anything, but you don't look like you're in any shape  
to fight anytime soon."  
Tenchi smiled, "What are you talking about? I feel fine." He began to sat  
up, screamed, and sat back down.  
"You feel fine, huh?"  
"Shut up, Ryoko."  
******************************************************************  
Ryoko stared up at the ceiling while laying down on a sofa. She had talked  
for Tenchi about five minutes more before he had exhausted all of his energy and  
went back to sleep. Washu had returned and tried to send Ryoko off to one of the  
various spare rooms, but Ryoko had absolutely refused to leave the same room as  
Tenchi. So Washu had produced a sofa for Ryoko to sleep on, but Ryoko did not  
intend on sleeping. Instead she just watched as Washu hovered over her astral PC.  
keeping Tenchi's vitals underneath constant vigil.  
"You really should get some sleep you know," Washu said without even  
turning to face her daughter.  
"Hmph... you put yourself in my shoes then tell me to sleep."  
"You're not the only one who cares for Tenchi you know."  
"Then you know what it's like then."  
"And I'm doing what I can to help. You getting sleep would be best for  
Tenchi."  
"But I can't. What if I go to sleep, and he needs me?"  
"Don't worry nothing's going to happen, I've taken all necessary pre-" she  
was interrupted by a loud beeping noise. Washu turned to her PC and typed in a  
sequence. "Oh, no..."  
"Mom, what's the matter?! What's wrong with him?!" Ryoko exclaimed  
rising to her feet immediately.  
Washu gulped, "It's worse than I thought. The two smaller blades were  
dipped in a culture..."  
"A culture of what? Tell me!"  
"The Black Despair."  
  



	9. No Need for Dreams

  
No Need for Dreams  
  
"The what?!" Ryoko exclaimed,  
"The Black Despair. This is _real_ bad," Washu informed sternly.  
"What is it?" Ryoko asked.  
"It's a viral disease. It causes the host to have horrible nightmares," Washu  
notified. She looked over to Tenchi and frowned. "They'll start soon."  
"OK, so Tenchi will have a couple of bad dreams. That's not that bad,  
right?" Ryoko interjected.  
"I'm not finished yet! That's only the beginning. The nightmares begin to  
get worse, until it reflects the host's worst fears. To him it'll seem so real... it's  
called the Black Despair because most hosts lose their will to live and slowly die."  
"What?!" Ryoko shouted. "Can't you do something?!"  
"If there was something I could do I would've already done it," she said not  
trying to hide her disappointment. "There are some things not even the Universe's  
Greatest Scientific Genius can't do." Washu blinked back tears. He's so young.  
He shouldn't be dying! "I can't save him."  
Those four final words hit Ryoko like a rock. "I can't save him" she had  
said. Ryoko collapsed to her knees. "No... no... no!" With every no she pounded  
the pavement, leaving decent-sized potholes.  
Washu knelt down and cupped Ryoko's chin in her hand, forcing Ryoko's  
tear-filled eyes to meet her own. "I said there wasn't anything _I_ could do. I  
didn't say _you_ couldn't help."  
Ryoko eyed curiously. "What do you mean?"  
Washu grabbed Ryoko's left wrist and led her to Tenchi's unmoving form.  
She grabbed Tenchi's right hand and pressed his palm against Ryoko's left palm.  
Ryoko reflexively tried to pull her hand back, but Washu's grip prevented it. She  
laced Ryoko's fingers around Tenchi's hand.  
His hands were clammy Ryoko noticed. Probably running a fever. She  
found herself just staring at him. He looked so peaceful when he slept. That  
however did not last long. The first sign that something was wrong was his  
twitching eyes. His breathing began to come as short gasps. He clenched his teeth  
and his breath came out as hisses. He squeezed Ryoko's hand and it was obvious  
he felt physical pain. He began thrashing around, causing him to sweat fiercely.  
"Ryoko... Ayeka... Sasami... Little Washu... where are you guys..." he  
muttered.  
Ryoko squeezed his hand and said, "I'm right here, Tenchi. Can't you hear  
me?"  
Tenchi gulped and seemed to calm down slightly. "Black... total black..." he  
muttered.  
Ryoko leaned over to Tenchi's face and whispered into his ear, "Don't  
worry, Tenchi. Ryoko's right here." She leaned up to Tenchi her lips brushing  
against his. "I love you, Tenchi, and I'll never leave your side." She raised her feet  
off of the ground so she was literally floating a centimeter above Tenchi, running  
parallel to him. She closed her eyes and lowered her head slowly. Her lips were  
barely touching his when...  
"MISS RYOKO!!!" an all too familiar voice exclaimed.  
Ryoko jerked in the direction of the sound and scowled. It was, of course,  
Ayeka. "This is an outrage! You get away from Tenchi right this second!"  
Ryoko groaned and levitated up and sat in mid-air. "What's the matter Miss  
Prissy Priss? I wasn't doing anything wrong!"  
"Don't play innocent with me! I know exactly what you were trying to do!"  
Ayeka retorted.  
"What's your problem?! Why do you care if I kiss Tenchi or not?!"  
"Because Tenchi's mine!" Ayeka blurted out. Her eyes widened and she  
slapped her hands over her mouth.  
Ryoko stared at Ayeka for a moment. "Wait, wait. Let me get this straight.  
_You_ like _Tenchi_? So much for just friends, huh?"  
"Well at least I didn't try to kill him!"  
Ryoko gritted her teeth and clenched her fists. "You take that back!"  
Ayeka relaxed a little... _a little_. "You're right, Miss Ryoko. I was just  
mad, but you really don't have much of a chance."  
Ryoko grinned, "Is that so? And what? You think you stand a better chance  
than me?"  
Ayeka let out a slight laugh. "Of course. I've known Tenchi since he was  
six. We have a very close relationship. You've known him for what a week and a  
half?" She gracefully made her way over to Tenchi. She leaned down over him and  
brought herself close to him. "It's like we were made for each other, don't you  
agree?" she whispered more to Tenchi than to Ryoko.  
"And how do you know that Tenchi doesn't see you as more than a friend?"  
Ryoko asked.  
"It's something that you wouldn't understand, Ryoko. I can tell what he's  
feeling. That's true friendship," said Ayeka as-a-matter-of-factly.  
Ryoko growled. "I do have a friend!"  
"And that's he'll ever be to you, because he loves me!"  
"That's what you think!"  
Washu stepped between the two girls, "Calm down now! I don't want any  
fighting in here! Got it?"  
Ayeka and Ryoko hesitated and glared at each other. Ayeka was the first to  
break away as she walked over to Tenchi and looked up and down his body  
looking at his body checking to see the damage. Besides the large hole in his  
chest, which was closing thank God, he seemed to be OK. She reached down and  
moved a wisp of hair that had fallen out on his face.  
Washu put a hand on Ayeka's shoulder and took a deep breath. "Ayeka,  
there's something wrong with Tenchi." She explained to Ayeka about the Black  
Despair. Ayeka's face paled and she nearly fell over. Washu led Ayeka to a chair  
where she just stared blankly at the floor. The astral PC suddenly beeped and  
Washu checked to see what was going on. "Tenchi's going to have another  
hallucination."  
As if on cue, Tenchi began to mutter softly, "Ayeka... Ryoko... please  
stop..."  
Ryoko sighed, "I wish we could see what he's seeing..."  
"Of course! That's it! Ryoko, you're a genius!" Washu interjected. She  
dashed into a corridor and came back with a helmet. She promptly placed it on  
Tenchi's head. The monitor of her astral computer flickered for a moment then  
came into focus. The image was of Ryoko and Ayeka standing off against each  
other, Ryoko with her energy sword and Ayeka with Akeya's energy scimitar.  
"Come on you guys, stop!" Tenchi's voice could be heard.  
"This must be from Tenchi's point of view," Washu stated.  
Ryoko and Ayeka ignored the obvious statement and stared intently at the  
screen. The image of Ryoko turned to the dream Tenchi and said, "No, Tenchi it's  
too late for that now. This fight will determine who's going to get your heart,  
Tenchi!"  
The screen began to shake as the Dream Tenchi ran to the two girls who  
were now dueling each other. Even as Ryoko and Ayeka watched they noticed  
Dream Tenchi making no progress even though he was running so hard his real  
legs were twitching.  
The two girls' duel continued both of them locked in a deadly ballet of  
slashes and twirls. This is all my fault. This wouldn't be happening if... The  
screen grew blurry as if covered by a film of water. Tears welled up in the real  
Tenchi's eyes. ..if only I had chosen! There was a flash of light and suddenly  
Ryoko and Ayeka were lying on the ground, unmoving. In an instant Tenchi was  
at their side kneeling in a pool of blood. There was no need to even check, by the  
blank look on their faces they were dead. Dead... because of me... The dream  
Tenchi collapsed to the ground staring straight up. Just let me die...  
"Wake him up, _now_!"  
Ayeka moved without hesitation to Tenchi's side gently shaking him.  
"Tenchi, wake up."  
Tenchi's eyes snapped open and grinned when he saw Ayeka. He embraced  
her, hugging her tightly. "Thank God, you're OK!" He broke away after a while to  
look into Ayeka's crimson eyes. He swung his legs around the edge of the bed and  
tentatively stood up. He winced as the action caused pain to shoot through his  
body from the wound. "Tenchi, what are you doing? You shouldn't be standing  
up," Ayeka said, the worry apparent in her voice.  
He grinned. He shuffle-walked over to Ryoko and gave her a hard glare. A  
look of confusion crossed her face as he stared at her menacingly. After a brief  
pause Tenchi's expression and he wrapped his arms around Ryoko and said,  
"Gotchya! It's good to see you Ryoko." Suddenly, Tenchi thought better of this  
action, but it was too late. Ryoko opened her arms up wide grabbed Tenchi in one  
of her enormous bear-hugs. Tenchi endured it though, just glad to see her alive  
again. Washu tapped Ryoko and the shoulder and said, "All right I think his face is  
blue enough now!"  
Ryoko sighed and released Tenchi who took a gasp of air., but he was still  
smiling. "Now I know this can't be a dream."  
Ryoko smiled, Always joking, aren't you?  
Tenchi turned to face Washu. "So _Dr._ Washu," he said emphasizing Dr.  
"What's the diagnosis?"  
Washu shook her head, "Now you know better than that, Tenchi."  
"Sorry, _Little_ Washu."  
Washu grinned but it quickly faded as she explained what was going on.  
"But know we have an advantage, Tenchi. You see now that you know about the  
Black Despair you know that mostly these next few scenario's you'll be facing are  
dreams. That is very important you have to remember that! OK?"  
Tenchi nodded. "Dreams... thanks Little Washu." Tenchi stumbled and  
Ryoko caught him. Tenchi chuckled to himself. "Guess I'm not so ready to walk  
yet, huh?"  
Ryoko led him back to the bed and Tenchi cautiously laid back down.  
"Good night, you guys. And hey don't stay up too late for me."  
Ayeka shook her head, "And you always call me a worry wart."  
"Shut up..." he said as he slowly drifted back off to sleep.  
-The next morning-   
Sasami opened her eyes, awoken by something. She didn't know what just  
something didn't feel right. She looked over to her sister's bed and her heart  
skipped. She was gone! She quickly exited the room and dashed her way to the  
medical ward. She sighed as she saw Ryoko and Ayeka asleep on the couch. She  
smiled as she got an idea. She rushed off to find Washu.  
-A few minutes later-  
Ryoko yawned loudly. She stretched and looked over at Tenchi. Sleeping  
like a baby, she thought. But something was different. Hey! He's wearing one  
of those medical gowns. She snickered aloud. How did Mom manage that?  
Tenchi stirred and sat up. Ryoko quickly closed her eyes. Then she opened  
them up just a slit. Tenchi almost immediately noticed a draft. He gulped and  
examined his new medical gown. He looked up and saw Ryoko and Ayeka asleep  
on the couch and blushed profoundly. I got to find Washu before they wake up!  
He stood up, and side-stepped his way toward the door, making sure to keep his  
back to the door.  
Oh, this is too good an opportunity to miss! Ryoko told herself. She  
yawned and opened her eyes. "Oh, good morning, Tenchi," she said feigning  
innocence.  
Tenchi's face became coated in sweat. Oh, no.... "G-G-Good morning,  
Ryoko," he stuttered.  
Ryoko stood up and flew in front of Tenchi, her body horizontal. "Did you  
sleep well?" she asked rotating around to Tenchi's backside.  
Tenchi whipped around, preventing the exposure of his naked backside to  
Ryoko's prying eyes. "Just fine, and you?"  
"I slept great! But I had the weirdest dream," Ryoko replied.  
"Oh, yeah?" Tenchi swallowed hard. "What kind of dream?"  
"Well, there was you... and me..." she quickly turned, Tenchi whipped back  
around. "And we were alone and..."  
"Good morning everyone! Breakfast is... AH!" Sasami said as she burst  
through the door. Unfortunately, Tenchi's backside was facing the door, giving  
Sasami more than an eyeful.  
Tenchi turned around at the sound. At that precise moment Ayeka was  
startled awake by the screaming, and Washu walked through a round portal in the  
middle of the ward. "Tenchi!" Ayeka exclaimed as she quickly covered her eyes.  
Ryoko laughed hysterically and Washu rolled her eyes.  
Tenchi made a mad dash behind a machine and exclaimed, "Little Washu!  
Where are my clothes?!"  
Washu sighed, "They were blood-stained I had to wash them."  
Tenchi softened his expression, "Thanks, Washu. RYOKO, IT'S NOT  
FUNNY!"  
Ryoko stifled her laughter long enough to say, "Aww...Tenchi, but it's so  
cute!"   
Tenchi flashed a deep crimson, whether it was from embarrassment or from  
anger Ryoko couldn't tell.   
Ayeka, however was fuming. "Ry... o... ko!" she exclaimed accenting and  
stretching every syllable of her rival's name. "Can't you give Tenchi a moment of  
peace!?" Once again an argument ensued between the two girls.  
Tenchi was about to try to stop the them when he heard a voice behind him  
saying, "She's right, you know?" Twirled around to see Washu. "I mean it _is_  
nice..."  
"Little Washu..."  
"I'm joking, Tenchi. You not really my type."  
Tenchi chuckled. "Hey Little Washu could you do something about this  
whole situation?"  
Washu grinned, "One set of clothes coming right up." She reached into a  
hole in space and threw several garments of clothing at Tenchi.  
"Could you uh...?" Tenchi started.  
Washu quickly turned around. "Thanks," she heard Tenchi said. After a  
minute or so, Tenchi was fully dressed in his school uniform, but somehow it felt  
different. "I've made some changes," Washu stated, identified the reason for  
Tenchi confusion. She quickly formed an energy sword and thrust it towards  
Tenchi's chest. Before he could dodge the sword glanced off the shirt causing  
sparks to fly.  
"You made it into armor!" Tenchi realized.  
"Now mind you my sword is weaker than even Ryoko's without her gems,  
not to mention Kagato's sword so don't get cocky."  
Tenchi nodded, "Can I ask you one thing? Could you do that again because  
that was really cool!"  
Washu stared at him for a moment, then shook her head. "Tenchi, you really  
are something else you know that? I'm still trying to figure out what."  
Tenchi grinned. He noticed that a new voice had entered the fray between  
Ryoko and Ayeka. It was, of course, Sasami playing peace keeper as usual. He  
stood up and whistled shrilly. The three girls' heads snapped into that direction.  
"Oh, Tenchi you're dressed now. I made breakfast for everybody," Sasami  
said.  
Tenchi smiled and walked over. He saw the food strewn about the floor.  
"Thanks Sasami it looks gr-" Tenchi was cut off by an explosion. A ball of  
electricity materialized. It seemed unstable as it flickered. It also wreaked havoc  
with the atmosphere, blowing everything away.  
"What is it?!" Tenchi shouted over the noise.  
"He's found us!" Washu responded.  
"Who?!" Sasami asked.  
"It's- It's..." Ryoko started. She was cut off by evil laughter.  
"Kagato!" Ayeka finished.  



	10. No Need for the Final Bout

No Need for the Final Bout  
  
Tenchi gritted his teeth and reached for the hilt of Sword Tenchi. His heart  
sank. Sword Tenchi wasn't there. Dammit! I left it on the _Souja!_  
Ryoko and Washu quickly formed their energy swords and Ayeka produced  
her energy scimitar. Tenchi felt so helpless! Even Sasami had a frying pan to  
defend herself if she needed too.  
Kagato fully emerged and Tenchi could see that evil grin of his again. That  
grin quickly faded however. "The boy's alive! I underestimated you, Washu, but  
it's really no matter. You see I have what he needs right here." A ball of energy  
emerged from behind Kagato. Inside of the ball was Sword Tenchi! "Uh... Master  
Tenchi... a little help here," the sword uttered.  
Tenchi swallowed hard. What am I going to do?! I can't get anywhere  
close to him without any kind of weapon.  
Before Tenchi could think any further, Ryoko took the initiative and  
attacked Kagato with a horizontal slash aimed for the throat.  
Kagato swung his sword, an identical one that he had used before, up in a  
wide arc stopping Ryoko's sword from reaching the target. Then Kagato brought  
his fist up to Ryoko exposed side, and the sound of cracking ribs echoed through  
the lab. Kagato completed the attack by firing an energy blast at point blank range  
sending Ryoko flying. Kagato hovered over her and leveled the point of his sword  
over her chest, directly above her heart. "I'm going to enjoy this," he sneered.  
Without warning, Tenchi rammed Kagato away. Kagato regained his  
footing and slashed in the general direction of his assailant. The blade passed two  
centimeters from Tenchi face, and Tenchi jumped backwards. His aerial path  
crossed right in front of the bubble containing Sword Tenchi. Purely by reflex he  
plucked his weapon from the cage. He rammed back first into one of Washu's  
machines, stopping his motion abruptly. He slumped to the ground and shook his  
head.  
Kagato growled, "Foolish boy! You should stay out of matters that don't  
concern you or you'll wind up dead."  
"I won't let you hurt my friends," Tenchi said, the determination evident in  
his voice. He activated Sword Tenchi and took a defensive stance.  
Kagato smirked, "Well I guess we could fight here, but there's not that  
much room. Ah, I know! I'll make some room." Kagato fired a rapid successions  
of green energy bolts at several machines, completely annihilating them.  
"Tenchi, we've got to get out of here!" Washu exclaimed. "My back-up lab  
is in space! If there's a breach it's all over!"  
"What!? That's just great! Everybody jump in the portal! We got to get to  
the _Souja_!"  
Ayeka nodded and grabbed Sasami. With her sister in hand she leapt blindly  
into the portal. Unfortunately, it was not going to be so easy to get Ryoko off.  
Kagato hovered directly above her. Tenchi rushed Kagato hoping to provide a  
distraction while Washu grabbed Ryoko and made a run for it. Tenchi swung his  
sword wildly not taking time to aim. Kagato frowned, "Now are you trying to  
make this easy for me?" He brought his sword down hard. Tenchi raised his sword  
in defense and Kagato's blade bounced off, the recoil pushing the two duelers  
back.  
Washu took advantage of the break in battle and attacked Kagato. Tenchi  
stared in shock. "Little Washu, get back!"  
Washu continued to battle but responded to Tenchi, "Get Ryoko out of here  
now! I'll catch up with you guys later."  
"But Little Washu..."  
"Now!"  
Tenchi swallowed hard and nodded. He rushed over to Ryoko as Washu  
kept Kagato at bay. Tenchi picked Ryoko up in his arms and head in the direction  
of the portal. He looked back one final time, and vaulted through the gateway.  
On the other side, Tenchi set Ryoko down on the ground and examined her  
wounds. Some of her ribs were broken, and she had a lot of burn marks. "Ryoko,  
are you OK?!"  
Ryoko took in a shallow breath and responded, "I've seen better days.  
Where's Mom?"  
"She's still fighting Kagato."  
"What?! I've got to help her!" she sat up quickly and screamed in pain.  
"Ryoko, you're in no condition to fight. I'll go get Little Washu back,"  
Tenchi insisted. He stood up and just as he was about to enter the portal Kagato  
leapt out. Tenchi jumped backwards, landing in a defensive stance. Kagato  
chuckled to himself and the portal behind him closed. Kagato's laughter soon  
filled the room, making Tenchi cringe.  
"Mom? Mom! Where is she?!" Ryoko shouted desperately.  
Kagato's laughter stopped and he turned to face his "visitors", "Yes, Washu  
fought valiantly to the bitter end. And I made sure it was _very_ bitter. Being sent  
out into the vacuum is a painful way to die."  
Ryoko's eye widened, No... NO! "NO!!!" Ryoko shouted. She wept  
loudly, sobs racking her body.  
Tenchi, however, was enraged beyond rational thought. Sword Tenchi  
flared up, the beam brighter than ever. This is all my fault! I should've been the  
one fighting him, not Little Washu, and now she's dead! I won't let him kill  
another person ever again!  
Tenchi rushed Kagato, a mixture of uncontrollable rage and adrenaline  
surged through his body pushing him to his limits. The fight had begun again.  
The battle raged, neither Kagato nor Tenchi seemed to be gaining an  
upperhand. That began to change a few minutes later though. Tenchi's face was  
covered with a film of sweat, and his reaction time was getting worse. What's  
wrong with me? Why can't I fight like I used to? Then Tenchi remembered. The  
virus! It was sapping his energy at an alarming rate.  
Kagato took advantage of Tenchi's hesitation and cut downwards. Tenchi  
hopped backwards and blocked Kagato's thrust. Kagato reacted quickly by  
moving his sword up and around in a wide arc, then quickly snapping it down.  
Tenchi growled and pulled back. Blood seeped from his new wound on his left  
cheek. He quickly wiped it away and squared of against his opponent.   
Tenchi's vision blurred as his invisible attacker continued to deplete his  
energy. He fell to his knees using his sword for support. Tenchi growled as he fell  
to the ground, still conscious but unable to move. He calmed himself, preparing  
himself for his inevitable fate.  
Kagato loomed over Tenchi and brought his sword to point at his heart.  
"Masaki, you have been fun, but all good things must come to an end." He raised  
his sword and...nothing. He turned his head to see Ryoko holding Kagato's hand  
in place.   
"I _cannot_ allow you to hurt anymore people I care for," Ryoko said, all  
emotion gone in her voice. Kagato swiftly turned around and attacked Ryoko.  
Ryoko defended herself, her face completely deadpan.  
Ayeka knelt down to Sasami and said, "Go to Tenchi and make sure he's  
OK."  
"Where will you be, Ayeka?" Sasami asked.  
Ayeka pulled out the handle of her energy scimitar and answered, "I'll be  
helping Ryoko." The energy blade formed, and she sprinted towards the battle.  
Sasami watched her sister rush to battle, gulped, and ran towards Tenchi. She  
jostled his body and called to him. When his eyes did not even flutter she blinked  
back tears.   
"Come on, Tenchi. Ayeka and Ryoko are fighting Kagato. You got to help  
them!" She propped his head onto her lap and lifted it up. "See? They can't do this  
without you."  
-A few minutes later...-  
Kagato laughed as he beat back his two attackers. "Tell me you two can do  
better than that," he taunted. He summoned up a huge burst of energy, throwing  
Ayeka and Ryoko back into a wall. That was when he noticed Sasami laying near  
Tenchi. No! I have to get rid of that girl. If Tsunami were to join the battle it  
would complicate matters. He turned and bolted towards Sasami and Tenchi.  
"No! Sasami, watch out!" Ayeka exclaimed. She ran after Kagato  
attempting to intercept Kagato, but he had too much of a lead.  
Sasami turned to see her assailant and trembled in fear. She calmed herself  
down and stood at Tenchi's feet, armed outstretched. "Stay back!" she exclaimed.  
It was the necessity to keep Tenchi alive that triggered a transformation in her.  
Kagato stopped dead in his tracks and exclaimed, "No!" He growled.  
"Princess Tsunami...," he muttered.  
The emblem of the tree appeared on Sasami's forehead as she transformed  
into Tsunami. A bubble of visible energy surrounded Tenchi and Tsunami. Also  
another surge of force blew Kagato off his feet, giving him a taste of his own  
medicine. Tsunami turned to Ayeka and said, in a surprisingly adult like voice,  
"Ayeka, I cannot do this alone. I need the help of my sister."  
Ayeka nodded and closed her eyes, letting everything go hoping that Akeya  
would do the rest. She did, and the emblem appeared once again.  
Kagato stood back up and glared daggers at Akeya and Ryoko. "I grow tired  
of these games," he declared coolly while reactivating his beam sword. "This will  
be the final bout."  
Akeya and Ryoko reanimated their weapons. Ryoko nodded, "I agree. This  
ends now!" They redoubled and stormed Kagato one final time.  
As the battle raged Tsunami kneeled over Tenchi. "All right, Tenchi. Let's  
see what you're made of." She spread her arms out before her and began chanting  
in the native tongue of Jurai. A ripple of energy emanated from her palms and  
covered Tenchi's body in an eerie blue light."  
Tenchi's eyes suddenly snapped open as he was rejuvenated. He quickly sat  
up and stared at Tsunami. He recognized the mark on her brow and asked, "You're  
not Sasami, are you?"  
Tsunami shook her head, "No, I am the Second Crowned Princess, Tsunami.  
I am also a healer. You're body has been purged of the virus that Kagato's sword  
infected you with."  
Tenchi gawked in wonder at Tsunami. Tenchi suddenly heard the sounds of  
battle and his head jerked towards the source. "Ay- I mean Akeya and Ryoko...  
they're fighting for me." He gritted his teeth, "I've got to help them!" He  
attempted to run to his friends' aid when he slammed into Tsunami's force field.  
"OK that was pretty dumb." He shook his head and faced Tsunami. "You've got to  
let me help them!"  
Tsunami stared blankly at Tenchi and said, "Tell me, where you able to beat  
Kagato even before you got the virus?"  
Tenchi remained silent, staring out at the battle. "How can I help?"  
"You can't," Tsunami replied.  
"What?! I have to!" exclaimed Tenchi.  
"But you can't. It's simply not possible."  
He turned to Tsunami and glared daggers at her. "Nothing's impossible!"  
"How very naive."  
"Big talk from a nine-year old. Now let me out!" Tenchi demanded.  
Tsunami sighed, frustration evident. "Tenchi, if you want to help, then listen  
to me. Yosho is the only one who can defeat Kagato, because he is the only one  
who can fully utilize Sword Tenchi."  
"But I don't know how to bring Yosho out! God, all I wanted was to be a  
normal kid not a reincarnate of some prince."  
Tsunami eyed Tenchi coolly and said, "It is nothing you can change now.  
You must embrace your destiny."  
"But my destiny is going to get people killed!"  
"Not necessarily. Watch the battle, Tenchi. It will become clear to you  
soon," Tsunami instructed.  
Confusion flashed across Tenchi's face, but he did as he was instructed.  
Ryoko was putting an unbelievable fight considering several of her ribs  
were broken, but it still was not going to be enough to beat Kagato. Kagato  
slashed upwards, breaking Ryoko's grip on her sword leaving her totally helpless.  
Akeya quickly stepped in slashing away. The effort proved to be ultimately  
futile as Kagato took the offensive. What was originally graceful dodging became  
desperate reflexes to stay alive. As soon as Kagato got a chance he fired an energy  
blast that blew Akeya back several feet. Before Akeya could react, Kagato  
launched an even more powerful blast. Its diameter was six feet across and it  
completely engulfed Akeya. The blast faded away leaving a severely burnt Akeya  
in its place. She fell to the ground motionless.  
Tenchi repeatedly pounded on the force field, "AYEKA! RYOKO!  
Tsunami, let me out now!" A symbol seemed to glow faintly.  
"Yes, that's it, Yosho... now come out!" The symbol glowed fiercely and  
then solidified, Yosho had emerged.  
Tsunami let down the shield, and Yosho grabbed Sword Tenchi. He rushed  
Kagato, who was ready to deliver the final blow to Akeya. Yosho arrived not a  
moment to soon, using Sword Tenchi to deflect the stab. He looked up at Kagato  
and smiled slyly. "Remember me?"  
Kagato's eyes widened as he realized the symbol on Tenchi's hairline. "No!  
Prince Yosho!" He quickly pulled back, putting as much distance between him and  
Yosho as possible.  
Yosho frowned, "Kagato, your pirating days are over." Tenchi squeezed  
Sword Tenchi. A light, originating at the three gems, moved up the weapon,  
changing it. The wooden hilt became golden and the blue energy of the blade  
became steel.  
"So the beam sword isn't the 'Holy Sword' at all?" Kagato noticed.  
Yosho nodded, "The 'Holy Sword' is what you see here. It will be the last  
thing you'll ever see." Without another word, Yosho became a blur of movement,  
his sword slicing clear through Kagato's chest. Black blood stained the "Holy  
Sword" as well as Kagato's chin. He slowly disintegrated away. The battle had  
finally ended. 


	11. No Need for a Long Night

  
No Need for a Long Night  
  
Ryoko could not believe her eyes. Kagato... he's gone... he's finally  
gone! Her eyelids suddenly became very heavy, and she soon welcomed the  
warmth of sleep.  
-Later...-  
Ryoko's eyes fluttered open. She had no idea how much time had past, but  
apparently the others had also collapsed from exhaustion and had not awoken.  
Ryoko stared at their bodies and realized that she had no place here. Not on Earth,  
not with Tenchi. She was all alone. Tenchi and Ayeka were destined to be  
together. How could she possibly compete with destiny? She decided that she  
should leave as soon as possible and began to head in the direction of the main  
hall, where Ryo-ohki was still wedged in.  
"Ryoko?" a small voice broke into Ryoko's thoughts.  
Ryoko turned to see a newly awakened Sasami.  
"Where are you going, Ryoko?" Sasami asked.  
"Away," Ryoko replied coldly.  
"Are you coming back?"  
Ryoko turned on her heel and responded, "No."  
"Why?  
"There's nothing for me here now."  
Sasami titled her head to the side slightly. "But what about Tenchi?"  
Ryoko cringed. How can she be so naive?! "He doesn't need me. He has  
Ayeka."  
"But Tenchi will be really sad if you leave."  
"He'll get over it."  
"But I thought you _liked_ Tenchi."  
"I do, Sasami, but he'll never 'like' me."  
"Why not?"  
Ryoko turned around and glared at the small girl. "'Why not?' '_Why  
not?!_' Look at me, Sasami! I'm a monster! I can shoot energy beams, I can fly!  
News flash: I'm not human!" she snapped.  
Sasami examined Ryoko. "You seem human to me. Besides Tenchi doesn't  
care about that."  
"You're impossible!"  
Sasami smiled, "I know."  
Tenchi groaned as he stirred. He sat up and shook his head.  
Ryoko glared at Sasami. "You did that on purpose, didn't you?"  
Sasami just smiled and ran over to help Tenchi up.  
"Thanks, Sasami," said Tenchi. He walked over to Ryoko and stared into  
her eyes. "I'm sorry."  
Ryoko looked puzzled. "For what, Tenchi?"  
"Your mom... it's all my fault," Tenchi said, blinking back tears.  
"No, Tenchi it's not your fault."  
"I should've stayed with her! I should've fought longer!" Tenchi cursed  
himself angrily.  
"Tenchi, you did what you could. You shouldn't have any regrets," said  
Ryoko.  
"You shouldn't blame yourself for something you couldn't avoid," a newly  
awakened Ayeka agreed.  
"Now, wouldn't this all have more of a point if I was really dead?"  
The four friends turned to the origin of the voice and collectively gasped.  
"Washu?!" they said in unison.  
Sure enough Washu stood before them, completely unscathed.  
"B-b-but how?!" Tenchi exclaimed. "Kagato said that-"  
"You can stop right there. 'Kagato said that' which usually means it's not  
true, and as you can plainly see he was lying. The coward left me in the lab when  
it had a huge hole in it," Washu explained.  
"Mom, I'm so glad you're alive," Ryoko exclaimed excitedly. She embraced  
her mother lovingly. Then Ryoko suddenly grabbed the short redhead by the collar  
and lifted her up to eye level. "Don't you _EVER_ do that to me again!!"  
Washu sweatdropped. "I'll make a note of that." She looked over Ryoko's  
shoulder a Tenchi and teleported out of Ryoko's grip. She reappeared nose to nose  
with Tenchi. "Hmm... interesting."  
"Miss Washu, if you were alive, then why didn't you help in the fight?"  
Ayeka asked.  
Washu was busy examining Tenchi head to toe. She replied without taking  
her eyes off of Tenchi, "Because Tsunami told me not to."  
"Tsunami?" Sasami asked. "Ohh... so _that's_ who she was talking to."  
"You mean you heard her?" Ayeka asked.  
"Well kind of... I knew she was talking to someone, but I couldn't make out  
what she was saying."  
"But why would she tell Mom to stay out of the fight?" Ryoko wondered.  
Washu replied again while inspecting Tenchi (making him very nervous),  
"Tsunami was convinced that if Tenchi saw Ryoko and Ayeka in danger, then the  
necessity to fight would cause Yosho to emerge. She was right."  
"Hey, all our wounds are gone. How did that happen?" Ayeka wondered  
aloud.  
"Tsunami was able to heal the burns and broken ribs," Washu answered,  
still examining Tenchi.  
Ryoko could not hold in her temper anymore. She grabbed Washu by the  
back of the shirt and turned so she was between Tenchi and Washu. "You know  
that is getting _very_ annoying," said Ryoko.  
"Don't worry, Ryoko. My interest in him is purely professional," Washu  
explained.  
"'Professional?' What do you mean by professional?" Ryoko asked.  
"You know... 'professional.' As a scientist I find him very interesting. It's  
not everyday you meet someone who can convert energy into matter. It totally  
violates the Theories of Conservation of Energy and Matter! It's amazing! I must  
find out how it's possible!" Washu said, her eyes sparkling with glee.  
Tenchi gulped. I don't like the sound of that, he mused.  
Suddenly, a large fissure formed between Tenchi's feet. "Uh... guys. This  
doesn't look good!" Tenchi exclaimed.  
"Uh-oh. You know, now that I think about it, I seem to remember Kagato  
asking me to install a self-destruct program into the _Souja_," Washu recalled.  
"Now you tell us!" Ryoko exclaimed. "Everyone get to Ryo-ohki!"  
They all nodded in agreement and followed Ryoko's lead to the main hall.  
By the time they reached their destination, the _Souja_ was trembling violently.  
Tenchi could not shake the feeling that something was missing. "Sasami!" Tenchi  
realized. "Sasami's missing!" Tenchi called out.  
Ayeka frantically looked around. "I can't see her anywhere! I'm going after  
her!" Ayeka ran towards the corridor they had just come out off  
"No! You stay here, I'll find her," Tenchi said as he dashed off.  
"Oh, no! You're not going without me!" she started after Tenchi when  
another tremor jarred a piece of the ceiling loose, and it crashed down in front of  
the doorway, separating Tenchi and Ayeka. She ran at the pile of rubble and began  
to dig through it. She had to save Sasami. Another tremor rocked the starship,  
sending Ayeka tumbling rather ungracefully backwards.  
"This whole ship is going to shake itself apart in a matter of minutes!"  
Washu informed. "We've got to get out of here!"  
Ryoko turned and stared daggers at Washu. "We're not leaving Tenchi  
behind!"  
"We'll pick him up in Ryo-ohki, but we can't do that if we're dead! Now  
let's go!" Washu exclaimed as she ran towards Ryo-ohki.  
Ryoko grabbed Ayeka by the back of the collar and began to drag her  
towards the living spaceship. "Come on, Princess! We're leaving!" As soon as  
Ryoko and Ayeka entered Ryo-ohki, Washu took off and began to circle around  
the _Souja_ to evacuate Tenchi and Sasami.  
-Inside the _Souja_-  
Tenchi ran at a dead sprint through the _Souja_ while calling Sasami's  
name. Suddenly one of the bulkheads exploded, the shock wave sending Tenchi  
reeling. He looked at his right arm and cringed. The sleeve of his shirt/armor was  
gone, and Tenchi's right arm was burnt badly. He slowly stood up and staggered  
down the next corridor. He saw Sasami lying down on the floor, blood running  
down the right side of her face.   
"Sasami!" he called as he dashed to her side. "Sasami, speak to me!"   
Her eyes fluttered open. She looked up at Tenchi and smiled, "Tenchi... you  
came back for me..." Suddenly a large black spike rammed through the wall on  
Tenchi's right directly behind him. Ryoko peered out and exclaimed, "Tenchi,  
we've got to get out of here!"  
Tenchi nodded and picked Sasami up. "Let's go."  
After Ryoko, Ayeka, and Sasami were inside, Ryo-ohki wedged itself out. A  
mere second later explosions rocked the _Souja_, sending shock waves that sent  
Ryo-ohki tumbling end over end. Finally, one huge explosion that completely  
destroyed the _Souja_ launched Ryo-ohki towards Earth on a collision course.  
"The dive's too steep! We're going to burn up!" Washu informed.  
Ryoko fought with the controls to try to lessen the dive. She succeeded in  
that, but they were still going way too fast. Washu quickly produced her astral  
laptop and caused a hole to appear in the middle of the sky. Ryo-ohki plunged into  
it, and they were immediately transported to a vastly empty space... except for the  
ground.  
"Dammit, Washu! Why couldn't you transport us somewhere in space!"  
Ryoko yelled while trying to level out the dive more.  
"I was a little rushed, Ryoko! It's better than demolishing a whole  
neighborhood somewhere!"  
Ryoko opened her mouth to retaliate, but one of Ryo-ohki's bottoms spikes  
scraped the ground and sent the ship bouncing and skidding across the ground.  
Shards of biometal were torn from the hull. Whole spikes were severed. When  
Ryo-ohki finally skidded to a halt several minutes later, she was barely anything  
more than a pink orb. Everything had turned upside down once the internal  
compensater blew, and Tenchi, Washu, Ayeka, and Sasami were lying on the roof.  
Ryoko, however, was hanging on to the pilot's seat with her legs and feverishly  
working on the controls, worry evident on her face.  
"No, no, no! Come on Ryo-ohki hang in there!" she instructed the ship.  
With a final "Miya..." all the lights in the cockpit dimmed. The monitors  
fizzed out. Ryo-ohki was dead.  
Ryoko growled and smacked the panel. She ran her fingers through her  
long, cyan hair and sighed. She released her hold on the chair and landed next to  
Tenchi. She examined his arm and asked, "You OK?"  
Tenchi nodded. "I'm fine," he replied as he stood.  
"You were so brave standing up to Kagato like that," Ryoko said while  
wrapping an arm around his neck.  
A very large sweatdrop appeared on Tenchi's forehead. "It was nothing  
really," he said nervously.  
Ryoko smiled mischievously, "Courage like that should be rewarded."  
Tenchi swallowed, "What do you mean, 'rewarded?'"  
"I think you know what I mean," she said, a gleam in her eye as she ran her  
fingers in small circles on his chest. "Your arm looks pretty torn up. Why don't  
you let me kiss you and make it feel better?"  
Tenchi stumbled backwards and stammered, "N-N-No, that's all right. I'm  
fine."  
Ayeka quickly grabbed a lock of Ryoko's hair and pulled her off of Tenchi.  
"Miss Ryoko! Will you quit bothering Tenchi already?! If you had a shred of  
common decency, you'd..."  
"Enough!" Washu interrupted. "Can you wait to argue after we get home?"  
"Sure," Ryoko muttered.  
"Yeah," Ayeka agreed.  
"Good," Washu said as she summoned her astral PC. With a few tapped  
buttons, the quintet found themselves right outside the entrance to Washu's lab.  
But something was seriously wrong.  
"Uh... Mom, where's the house?" Ryoko asked. Sure enough, Tenchi's  
house was on the left, but the Hakubi house was gone.  
"Oh, no... how could I have been so stupid?!" Washu exclaimed. "The other  
two gems!"  
"That's right! The other gems were in my night stand!" Ryoko's face paled.  
"And when Yosho killed Kagato..." Washu continued.  
"The gems exploded and destroyed our house!" Ryoko finished. She  
groaned, "The perfect end to a perfect day."  
"Looks like it's sleeping on cots in the lab tonight," Washu said.  
Tenchi shook his head, "Don't be ridiculous. You guys can stay at my house  
for however long you need to." He turned to Ayeka and Sasami, "The same goes  
for you two. So what do you say?"  
"W-w-we couldn't possibly..." Ayeka started.  
"Yay!" Sasami interrupted. "Oh, can we, Ayeka? Can we, can we, can we?"  
"Well I uh..." Ayeka stammered.  
"Pleeeeeeeeease?" Sasami begged while giving Ayeka that puppy-dog eye  
look.  
"Don't look at me like that! All right fine," Ayeka said.  
"Yay! We're going to have a slumber party!" Sasami exclaimed.  
"OK, now I have the bed which can hold two, and I've got the two couches  
in the living room. I can sleep on the floor the living room," Tenchi suggested.  
"That won't be necessary, Tenchi. You can have your bed I think you've  
earned it. Ryoko and I will sleep on the floor," informed Washu.  
"But my bed can hold two, it doesn't make sense for me to take the whole  
bed for myself," Tenchi insisted. He realized just what he had said an instant after  
he said it.  
Ryoko phased in behind and wrapped her arms around his neck. "You're  
right Tenchi. It would be _very_ rude of you to take that whole bed for yourself,  
but if you let Ryoko sleep with you..." Ryoko whispered into his ear.  
Tenchi blushed fiercely and replied, "Ryoko, that's not what I meant."  
"I know that's not what you meant, but would it be so bad?" Ryoko asked,  
her voice sultry.  
"I, uhh..." Tenchi sputtered.  
Washu grabbed her daughter by the arm and pulled her off. "Don't you ever  
think outside your hormones?!"   
"I'm 15, of course not!" Ryoko replied.  
Washu released a sigh of exasperation, and lead Ryoko back into the house,  
followed by Ayeka and Sasami.  
Tenchi sighed and looked up at the stars, "It's going to be a long night." 


	12. No Need for Rest

No Need for Rest  
  
Sunlight poured into the windows of the Masaki residence, drowning  
Tenchi in its glow. His eyes opened slightly and Tenchi growled. He flopped on  
his side in an attempt to escape the sunlight's grasp. What he saw, however, would  
be wake Tenchi more than Sol could ever. He leaped backwards out of the bed and  
exclaimed, "Ryoko?!"  
Ryoko's eyes fluttered open. She smiled and greeted in a seductive voice,  
"Good morning, Tenchi." She slowly slipped out of the covers.   
Tenchi's eye grew to the size of saucers, his nose on the verge of bleeding.  
Ryoko was dressed in only a bra and a pair panties.  
Ryoko traced Tenchi's stare and asked, "You like what you see?"  
Tenchi tried to cover his eyes, but his hand wouldn't cooperate. "Ryoko,  
what are you doing in my bed?! And why are you wearing that?!"  
"Well, Tenchi," Ryoko started innocently. She disappeared and reappeared  
behind Tenchi, her right arm wrapped around Tenchi and her left hand making  
small circles on Tenchi's chest. "I thought that you might get lonely up in your  
room, so I paid you a visit."  
"Lonely, huh? That's a new one. And what about your choice of attire?"  
Tenchi wondered.  
"Well, my school uniform wasn't comfortable to sleep in. My house was  
destroyed, so I didn't have anything else to sleep in," Ryoko answered.  
"I see," Tenchi replied. He squirmed out of Ryoko's grip and walked to his  
closet. He removed a plain white T-shirt and pair of jeans and tossed them at  
Ryoko. He then put his hand in the small of Ryoko's back and gently pushed her  
out his door. "Now, I'd appreciate if you stayed out of my bed if I'm in it.  
Thanks," Tenchi commented and he shut the door.  
Ryoko shrugged and slipped on the clothes Tenchi gave her. Ryoko noticed  
something in the air. She sniffed and licked her lips, "What is that delicious  
smell?" She floated towards the kitchen and saw Sasami and Ayeka cooking  
something.  
Sasami turned around and saw Ryoko. "Good morning, Ryoko. We're  
making Tenchi some breakfast."  
"I see that. What are you guys making?" Ryoko asked.  
"Tenchi's favorite... miso soup!" Sasami answered.  
"Washu said that Tenchi should rest today, so we're going to give him  
breakfast in bed," Ayeka informed.  
"Now why didn't I think of that?" Ryoko thought aloud.  
"Do you really want me to answer that?"  
Ryoko jumped in the air and turned around. "Don't do that!"  
Washu chuckled. "I'm going to give Tenchi this cream for his arm," Washu  
stated as she turned around and headed down the hall. She rapped tightly on the  
door. When no answer came, she slowly slid the door open and stepped in.   
Tenchi opened his right eye to see who had come in. "Good morning, Little  
Washu."  
"Good morning, Tenchi. Good to see you're awake," Washu replied. "I've  
got some medicine for that arm."  
Tenchi smiled, "Thanks. I'll put it on later. I'm _really_ tired." He closed  
his eyes.  
Washu shook her head and reached into the container, scooped up a handful  
of the salve, and began rubbing it on the burnt arm.  
Tenchi flinched and instinctively pulled his arm from Washu's hold. "It's  
OK, Washu. I got the hint. I'll put it on now."  
"It's OK, Tenchi. I'll do it for you," Washu assured.  
"Washu, I'm not helpless. I can do it myself," Tenchi insisted.  
"I know you can Tenchi, but this is thanks for saving our lives," Washu  
replied. "And it's _Little_ Washu."  
Tenchi sighed. "I'm not going to win this, am I?"  
Washu chuckled. "Not a chance." A few minutes later, Washu was finished  
applying the ointment and said, "Now, I want you to get some rest. Don't get out  
of this bed for any reason, except if you _need_ to, got it?"  
"Yes, Little Washu," Tenchi affirmed. He yawned loudly. "You don't have  
to tell me twice," he said as he closed his eyes.  
Not five seconds later Sasami, Ayeka, and Ryoko stormed into Tenchi's  
room carrying a large tray. "Good morning, Tenchi!" they exclaimed in unison.  
Tenchi nearly jumped out of his skin while Washu laughed. Tenchi noticed  
the tray and smiled. "Breakfast in bed? You guys are too much."  
Sasami set the tray over Tenchi's lap and sat down next to him. "Ayeka and  
I made it for you, because Washu said you needed to rest. There's miso soup,  
grilled salmon, and rice. I even got you some shouyu."  
Tenchi smiled, "My favorite." He began to lift his arm to use his chopsticks,  
then realized a crippling effect of one of his injuries. Tenchi was right-handed and  
to move that arm would send tremendous pain up the injured limb.  
Sasami was the first person to recognize this and grabbed the chopsticks  
from Tenchi's tray. She picked up a piece of salmon with it and said, "Open wide,  
Tenchi."  
Tenchi shrugged and complied. Sasami fed the salmon to Tenchi. "Mmm...  
delicious, Sasami."  
"My turn!" Ryoko exclaimed.  
"What makes you think it's your turn, Ryoko?" Ayeka asked.  
Ryoko smiled and faced Ayeka, "Because Tenchi likes me more that's  
why."  
"You know very well that Tenchi likes me more!"  
Tenchi sweatdropped, "Not again."  
As the fight raged on, Sasami fed Tenchi the rest of his meal. He sighed  
contentedly. "That was great!" he exclaimed. Sasami smiled sincerely, picked up  
the tray, and jumped off the bed. "Here let me help you with that, Sasami," Tenchi  
offered. He attempted to get up, but found he could not move. "Uh, guys?"  
Ayeka and Ryoko both turned their heads. Ayeka asked, "What's the matter,  
Tenchi?"  
"I can't move!" Tenchi replied.  
Ryoko grabbed Tenchi's bed sheet and threw it off, revealing four metal   
bonds placed around Tenchi's ankles and wrists. "What the hell?" she wondered  
aloud.  
By the wide grin on Washu's face, Ayeka knew who had fettered Tenchi.  
She turned to the scientist and asked, "Little Washu, why did you restrain Tenchi  
like this?"  
"Because I knew Tenchi would try to get up," Washu answered.  
"Who cares why? What I want to know is _how_," Ryoko stated.  
"I am Washu, the greatest scientific genius in the Universe! Doing such a  
simple task was a breeze for me," Washu declared.  
"Yeah, whatever. That still doesn't answer my question," Ryoko responded.  
"It's my little secret. Now go, Tenchi needs some rest so go!" Washu  
quickly shooed the three girls out of Tenchi's room, and took a seat at the foot of  
Tenchi's bed.  
"Washu, could you please release these bonds? I promise I won't get up,"  
Tenchi pleaded.  
Washu's reply was science.  
"Please, Washu? Just the left arm shackle?"  
Washu leveled a glare at the teen.  
If Tenchi had a free hand, he would have slapped his forehead as he  
comprehended his mistake. "I mean, _Little_ Washu," Tenchi corrected. "The  
greatest scientific genius in the Universe," he added for good measure.  
Washu grinned and snapped her fingers and the bond around Tenchi's left  
wrist disappeared.  
"Thank you, _Miss_ Washu," Tenchi praised.  
"Keep it up, Tenchi," Washu playfully threatened.  
He chuckled and sighed. "Little Washu, if you don't think of it as prying,  
could you tell me more about yourself? I mean before you came to Earth."  
Washu's face became expressionless, and she turned away from Tenchi.  
"Never mind, Little Washu. It was stupid of me to ask," Tenchi withdrew.  
Washu turned back to Tenchi and said, "If I tell you about my life before I  
came here, you have to answer a question I have."  
"Yeah. I'm an open book," Tenchi answered.  
"What happened to your parents?" Washu asked.  
Tenchi looked averted his gaze from Washu and took a deep breath.  
"They're dead. Both of them." Tenchi choked back tears before continuing. "Mom  
and Dad died in a car wreck when going to a basketball game... _my_ basketball  
game."  
"How long ago?" Washu asked.  
"Just over 2 years ago. I've only recently been able to play the game again,"  
replied, his voice cracking. "I had gone to the game with Ayeka and her parents,  
because my parents were working late. My dad was an architect, and my mom was  
his assistant. Anyway, I called the office and begged them to come. I acted like  
such a baby! It wasn't even an important game, just another intramural game. But I  
had to have it my way. I ended up guilt-tripping them into coming. On the drive  
there... the car in front of them stalled and..." Tenchi struggled to keep himself  
audible, tears already streaming down his face. "Dad swerved off the side of the  
road... and they hit a street light. They didn't die immediately. I think they knew  
they were going to die, because they found them close together... in one final  
embrace..." Tenchi lost his self-control and broke down into a sobbing fit.  
Washu cupped her hand under his chin and pulled his head up to make eye  
contact. "Tenchi, it wasn't your fault," she assured.  
"I know, I know, I tell myself that every damn day, but..."  
"No buts. You didn't know they would die. No one did."  
"My friends are all I've got now. Which is why I don't want to lose any of  
them, because without them... I'm nothing." Tenchi angrily wiped the tears from  
his face. "I don't want to weigh you down with these sob stories. So I believe it's  
my turn."  
A concerned expression crossed her face, but she quickly erased it. Tenchi  
told me about the death of his parents, whatever question Tenchi asks me can't be  
any worse.  
Tenchi racked his brain for a question to ask Washu. "What is your lab  
like?"  
Washu nearly face-faulted but maintained her posture. He could ask me  
any question he wanted to and this is what he asked? I'll never understand this  
boy... "But Tenchi, you already know what my lab looks like."  
Tenchi smiled, "Yeah, I know what some of your lab looks like, but do you  
expect me to believe that the Universe's greatest scientist's lab is a couple  
computer monitors?"  
Washu chuckled, "No, I suppose not. How about I take you on a tour?"  
"What happened to resting?"  
Washu grinned, "Come on Tenchi you know me better than that. Don't you  
think I can figure out a way for you to rest and see the lab at the same time?"  
"Yeah, I guess."  
"You _guess_?" Washu's astral laptop suddenly appeared and Washu typed  
in a sequence of keys. A hole appeared in space, and a red vehicle similar to size  
and shape of a golf cart emerged. "Tenchi, in order to get into my lab, I need to  
stabilize a portal to the entrance."  
"Meaning?"  
"Meaning I need to borrow your closet."  
"'Borrow my closet'? How am I going to get to my clothes then?"  
"Not to worry, you see I can set the door to open to my lab if I open it, and  
if you open it it'll open to your closet. Just need to set the DNA sensors," Washu  
informed.  
"Wow. Go right ahead then," Tenchi said.  
"Thank you." A few keystrokes later, Washu opened the door, revealing a  
dark void. "All set," Washu informed. She released the final bonds. Tenchi sat in  
the passenger seat of the vehicle, and Washu drove it into the lab.  
::Meanwhile, in the far reaches of space::  
The Galaxy Police headquarters buzzed with the busy daily activities. A red  
cruiser zoomed towards the floating station. The pilot, a 16 year-old female with  
long teal hair and deep blue eyes, switched on the controls to the communication  
systems of _Yagami_, the ship.  
"This is Detective First Class Kiyone Makibi, reporting for duty," the girl  
spoke into the microphone.  
A male voice answered, "You are clear for docking in Bay 327. You are to  
report to the Major's office ASAP. He has a special assignment for you."  
Kiyone was caught off-guard by this information. The Major has a special  
assignment for _us_? This could be the chance of a lifetime! "Roger that, HQ.  
We're on our way."  
Kiyone set the _Yagami_ on auto-pilot and exited the cockpit to awaken her  
partner. She entered the room of her associate and turned on the light. A blonde  
girl Kiyone's age was sprawled on a pink fluffy bed.  
"Mihoshi, we're at headquarters. Wake up," she said. When no response  
came Kiyone tried a different approach. "Mihoshi, it's lunch time."  
In a flash, Mihoshi opened her eyes, revealing them to be a light blue color.  
"Great, I'm starving!"  
"Get your uniform on first. Then we have a meeting with the Major,"  
Kiyone informed.  
"He's important, right?" Mihoshi asked innocently.  
Kiyone groaned, "Yes, Mihoshi he's _very_ important. Now let's get going  
we don't have all day."  
"OK, Kiyone!" Mihoshi exclaimed jumping to her feet. "We're going to get  
a real bad guy this time, aren't we?"  
"I hope so, Mihoshi," Kiyone stated as she stepped out of Mihoshi's room.  
  
  



	13. No Need for Arrests

  
"No Need for Arrests"  
  
Ryoko opened the door to Tenchi's room quietly and slipped in, closing the  
door behind her. It was around 3 o'clock in the morning, and Ryoko was sure  
Tenchi was fast asleep. By his steady, slow breathing Ryoko knew she was right.  
She floated in the air and maneuvered above Tenchi. She sighed contentedly as  
she watched him sleep, a serene look on his face. She resisted the urge to wrap her  
arms around the object of her affection and fall asleep in his arms, but she knew  
that if she did he would wake up and get mad. So she watched and listened. She  
lowered herself down and rested her head on Tenchi's chest lightly, listening for  
the rhythmic beating of his heart.  
"R-R-Ryoko?" a voice pierced her thoughts.  
Ryoko looked up and swallowed. "Sorry, Tenchi," she apologized quickly  
and began to fly towards the door.  
Tenchi quickly grabbed Ryoko's wrist and pulled her back. The look on his  
face reflected uncertainty and confusion. "Please, Ryoko. Don't go. I love you,"  
Tenchi said.  
Ryoko grinned wildly and embraced her love and kissed him deeply. When  
the kiss broke, Tenchi smiled and said, "Wake up, Ryoko."  
"What?"  
"Wake up!"  
Ryoko eyes snapped open and she was greeted by Ayeka's face. Damn, it  
was just a dream... "Argh!" Ryoko growled. "What a wonderful thing to wake up  
to!"   
Ayeka snapped, "Would you rather I woke you up with a vacuum?"  
"Why are you doing housework this early in the morning?" Ryoko asked.  
"Early?! It's a quarter until twelve!" Ayeka informed. "Honestly, how  
anyone can sleep in that late is beyond me."  
Ryoko rubbed her eyes, "Where's Tenchi?"  
"He went grocery shopping, so he can feed all of us. That's why I'm  
cleaning, to show him my gratitude."  
"Oh," Ryoko replied. She yawned once again and stood up. She climbed the  
stairs and walked down the hall and into Tenchi's room. She sighed contentedly  
and flopped onto his mattress and quickly fell back asleep.  
Ayeka gritted her teeth in frustration. "How can she be so lazy?" she  
muttered under her breath as she started the vacuum.   
Now sooner had Ayeka finished sweeping the living room, she heard a  
knock at the door.  
"Coming!" she shouted as she quickly opened the front door. She was  
greeted by several paper sacks that appeared to have feet.  
"Help!" a voice exclaimed from behind the bags. Suddenly, one of the top  
sacks tilted to the side nearly falling off, but Ayeka quickly kept it from falling  
down.  
"Tenchi, these bags are taller than you," Ayeka said.  
"I know, I know! Could you give a ha-," Tenchi started.  
"Tenchi!" Ryoko interrupted. She rushed her beloved, launching him out the  
front door and out to the front lawn. Unfortunately, the groceries scattered all over  
the yard. "Oh, Tenchi! I missed you sooo much!" Ryoko whined  
"Uh-huh, I bet. How long ago did you get up?" Tenchi asked skeptically.  
"About ten minutes ago, but that's not the point," Ryoko answered while  
tightening her grip.  
"How about letting a guy get some air, Ryoko?" Tenchi wheezed.  
Ryoko sighed and loosened her grip on Tenchi.  
Tenchi surveyed the mess, sighed, and rubbed his eyes. He began to pick up  
the scattered groceries, and Ryoko released her grip on him to help. After a little  
coaxing from Tenchi, of course. Ayeka also pitched in.  
When he went to pick up a can that had rolled onto the sidewalk, a pale  
hand also reached for the can. Tenchi traced the arm up to a young girl with teal  
hair and sunglasses. She was wearing loose fitting jean shorts and a white tank  
top.  
"You look like you could use some help," the anonymous female said.  
"Thanks!" Tenchi replied.  
Ryoko however was not so grateful. I know I've seen that face before...  
The four of them managed to retrieve the groceries and get them in the  
house without too much trouble. As the girl was leaving, Tenchi met her at the end  
of his driveway and said, "Hey, I haven't seen you around this neighborhood  
before. Are you new here?"  
The girl nodded and replied, "Yeah, I live a block away, and I was just  
taking a walk."  
"Well thanks again uhh..." Tenchi started.  
"Oh, of course! My name's Kiyone Makibi," she informed.  
Tenchi bowed and introduced himself. "The girls with cyan hair and purple  
hair are Ryoko Hakubi and Ayeka Jurai, respectively."  
Kiyone bowed and replied, "Well it was nice to meet you Mister Tenchi."  
"No, just Tenchi please. I don't think my name sounds good like that,"  
Tenchi insisted.  
Kiyone stared at him blankly for a second and then chuckled. "Right..."  
Suddenly, a high-pitched voice exclaimed, "There you are, Kiyone!"  
Tenchi turned his head in the direction of the voice, and he saw a dark  
skinned girl with blonde hair and blue eyes. The girl ran up to Kiyone and said,  
"Hey Kiyone, how come you didn't meet me at the park like you said?"  
"I got sidetracked, Mihoshi," Kiyone explained. "Mihoshi this is Tenchi  
Masaki. Tenchi this is Mihoshi Kuramitsu, my friend and roommate."  
"It's nice to meet you Miss Mihoshi," Tenchi greeted while bowing.  
Mihoshi giggled and replied, "Polite _and_ cute. Now I see why you got  
'side-tracked.'"  
Both Tenchi and Kiyone turned a beet red, and Kiyone quickly clamped her  
hand over Mihoshi's mouth.. "Come on, Mihoshi, we must be on our way now  
shouldn't we?" said Kiyone, half-leading, half-dragging Mihoshi down the street.  
"Mihoshi! How could you embarrass me like that?" Kiyone growled once  
she was out of earshot of Tenchi.  
"Calm down, Kiyone. I was only joking, but you have to admit, he is kind of  
cute," Mihoshi said.  
"Yeah, I suppose, but we're not going to stay here for long remember? We  
just need to find who caused the explosion that the Major sent us to investigate.  
Then we're out of here."  
"You're always all work and no play. Well, if you're not interested in him  
can I take him out?"  
Kiyone moaned. "You're hopeless. Listen, chances are _Yagami_ is going  
to be finished analyzing the data from the debris by tomorrow morning. We can  
stay here a max of a week."  
"But Earth's so pretty, can't we take our vacation here?" Mihoshi asked.  
"Oh, can we, can we, can we?!"  
"Mihoshi, you have the persistence of a five-year old," said Kiyone. "And it  
always pays off!"  
Mihoshi giggled, "We can? Yay!"  
"But we have to take the data back to HQ first, and then we can file a  
request. So it'll be about two weeks."  
"Great!"  
******************************************************************  
Tenchi self-consciously put his hand behind his head and went back inside.  
He noticed Ryoko sulking in the couch.  
"Uh, Ryoko? Is something bothering you?" Tenchi asked.  
"It's that girl, Tenchi. There's something about her I don't like. I know I've  
seen that face before!"  
"I think you're overreacting," Tenchi replied.  
Ryoko bit her thumbnail. "I don't know."  
"Try not to worry about it too much, OK?"  
"OK, if you say so Tenchi."  
Tenchi walked up the stairs and opened the door to the bathroom. What he  
saw inside defied the laws of physics. Instead of the small bathroom that was  
supposed to be there, there was the world's biggest onsen. One word ran through  
his mind. "WASHU!" he shouted.  
The petite scientist, who had been standing right next to Tenchi at the time,  
clamped her hands over her ears. "Oh, I see you found the bathhouse," Washu  
observed.  
"What did you do to my bathroom?!" Tenchi asked.  
"I didn't do anything to your bathroom. I simply created another dimension  
linked to the door. I was just getting ready to put a DNA scanner on the door," she  
informed.  
"Why do you need a DNA scanner?"  
"Why to keep you out, Tenchi... this is the women's bath," the scientist  
explained.  
"Oh, that explains it then. So what does the men's bath look like?" Tenchi  
wondered.  
"You can have the normal bathroom if its OK with you," Washu suggested.  
"Sure, but you have to promise to quit making alternate universes in my  
house without me knowing," Tenchi instructed.  
Washu shrugged, "Fair enough." She tinkered with the door handle for a  
moment with a small machine and said, "There you go. The DNA sensor is in  
place. You can take your bath now, Tenchi."  
"Thanks, Little Washu," he acknowledged as he opened the door and  
stepped in. He shut the door as tight as he could and locked it, just in case  
Washu's sensor did not work and Ryoko got any ideas.   
As he took off his shirt, he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. It had  
been the first time since the battle since he had taken a good look at his wounds.  
Most of them were relatively minor compared to the big one on his stomach. He  
winced as he remembered the pain that had seared through his body, when Kagato  
had thrown him around like a toy. Tenchi shivered as he shoved away the  
memories of the battle. He took of the rest of his clothes and soaked his troubles  
away in the hot bath water.  
Meanwhile Ryoko sat in thought. Maybe Tenchi's right. Maybe I _am_  
looking into this too much. She rubbed her temples and cracked her neck. She  
decided that a visit to the onsen would be just what she needed. She went upstairs  
and entered the onsen. She took off her clothes and soaked in the hot pool. She  
smiled as she thought of Tenchi. Everything about him drove her crazy, his deep  
brown eyes you could gaze into forever, his sense of honor, and his never ending  
sense of obligation to his friends. "I love you, Tenchi," she muttered as she closed  
her eyes and fell victim to the soothing properties of the hot water.  
******************************************************************  
Kiyone flopped down on her bed and let out an exasperated sigh. "Six stores  
in three hours... I didn't think it was possible..." Mihoshi and she had been  
shopping at the local mall. "I hope you got enough stuff, Mihoshi!"  
Mihoshi, who had three bags in each hand, nodded excitedly. "But why  
didn't you get anything?"  
"Because we have to eat tonight. The cost of living on Earth is high. We  
don't have much spending cash, and you just spent most of it."  
Mihoshi's stomach growled loudly. "Speaking of food, can we get  
something to eat now?"  
"Yeah, sure. There's instant ramen in the cabinet." That's something not  
even she could burn, Kiyone added silently.  
"Okay. You want any?"  
"No, I'm fine. I think I'm going to take a nap."  
"Okay," Mihoshi said as she left into the kitchen.  
Kiyone yawned and closed her eyes. Just as she was about to fall asleep, her  
watched beeped loudly. She groaned and pressed a button on the side of it. A  
hologram of the Galaxy Police logo was projected a couple of inches above the  
watch.  
"Incoming message from _Yagami_, please confirm name and password," a  
mechanical voice chimed.  
"Detective First Class Kiyone Makibi, Once upon a time," Kiyone recited.  
The hologram shimmered and changed to a long text message. Kiyone  
gasped. According to this, that explosion was the Class-A criminal Kagato's  
ship, the _Souja_! She read on, revealing information on Kagato. Basic  
information like planets destroyed, people killed, assistants, and property damaged  
was displayed. Kiyone suddenly scrolled back to the file labeled assistants.  
Ryoko and Washu Hakubi... why does that sound familiar...? Wait, Ryoko was  
one of Tenchi's friends!  
"That means Tenchi's been harboring a criminal, and if he knows then we'll  
have to arrest him, too," Kiyone thought aloud. Kiyone shook her head. What had  
to be done had to be done. "Mihoshi! We've got a job to do!"  
******************************************************************  
"Are you sure you guys need to leave? You're welcome to stay longer if you  
like," Tenchi offered to Ayeka and Sasami. They had decided at dinner that they  
were going to leave at sundown and the sun had just disappeared underneath the  
horizon.  
"No, Tenchi. We must leave. We've stayed here long enough. Our parents  
will be home the day after tomorrow, and we need to be there," Ayeka informed.  
"All right, but you guys know you're always welcome, right?" Tenchi  
asked.  
Ayeka nodded, "Thanks, Tenchi. Maybe we'll come over tomorrow."  
Sasami cheered, "Yeah, or maybe you guys could come over to our house!"  
Ayeka and Sasami waved good-bye as they left for their house.  
As soon as Tenchi shut the door, Ryoko lifted him up and tossed him onto  
the couch. She jumped on top of him and whispered, "Ayeka and Sasami are gone,  
and Washu's holed up in her lab working on another experiment. You know what  
that means?"  
Tenchi swallowed hard and nodded. "It means we're all alone," he  
answered.  
"With no one to save you," she finished.  
Tenchi's eyes grew wide and he squirmed, trying to get out from underneath  
the vixen.  
"I love it when you struggle, Tenchi! It's so _cute_," Ryoko said with a  
smirk. She strained to keep Tenchi underneath her.  
"Ryoko, enough is enough. Get off of me! I'm not kidding!" he barked. His  
struggles were starting to become not-so-gentle. He managed to get loose enough  
to place his feet on Ryoko's stomach and shove her off. "Stop!"  
Ryoko looked hurt. The emotional blow was more painful than the physical  
one.  
Tenchi leveled a glare at Ryoko, but when he saw the hurt in her eyes, his  
expression softened. "I'm sorry, Ryoko. I couldn't get you to stop..." When no  
response came from Ryoko, he went upstairs. "I'm going to bed," he said. Again  
no response. He hung his head and went into his bedroom.  
Ryoko was left alone to think. She blinked back tears. Why can't I ever  
control myself!, she cursed inward. I hope he knows what I really think about  
him. I hope he knows I think he's the greatest thing in the Universe. I hope he  
knows I love him.  
Now how would he know that? she asked herself.  
What do you mean?! I show him my affection!  
By throwing yourself at him every chance you get? How about showing  
him a little appreciation? He's not letting you in his house so you can make out  
with him. He's doing it to be kind.  
But it's so hard! I've never felt these feelings for a guy before. I don't  
know how to express them!  
Just think of how you would want to be treated.  
Well...  
Not that! How about...  
The sound of the doorbell jarred Ryoko from her thoughts. "Yeah, yeah.  
I'm coming," Ryoko shouted to the visitor. She got up to the door and was greeted  
by Kiyone, wearing something _very_ different from what she was wearing earlier  
that day. Ryoko suddenly slammed the door shut and locked it. "That was a  
Galaxy Police uniform!" That's where she had seen her face before. She was one  
of the best and the most promising officers.  
"Space Pirate Ryoko, you have five seconds to open the door, or it will be  
considered resisting arrest. One..."  
Ryoko looked around for a possible escape,  
"Two..."  
She could use her energy sword to stab Kiyone through the door, but that if  
she missed she would be in even more trouble.  
"Three..."  
She ran upstairs and positioned the table to provide cover for incoming fire.  
"Four..."  
Ryoko began gathering energy to fire at the Galaxy Police officer. They  
were not going to get her without a fight.  
"Five!" Kiyone kicked down the door and began firing at the table with her  
blaster. Ryoko lied down, cursing for not finding better cover.  
"What the-!" Ryoko heard a voice exclaim.   
Tenchi! she realized.  
Tenchi down the hall and gasped at the sight. Ryoko was lying behind his  
table which was being fired at by Kiyone in a strange uniform.  
"What the hell is going on here?!" he shouted above all the noise.  
Kiyone looked in that direction and ordered, "Tenchi, get down it's not  
safe!"  
Ryoko took advantage of the situation and fired her energy blast at the  
ground in front of Kiyone, causing a smoke screen. When the smoke cleared both  
Ryoko and Tenchi were gone.  
"Dammit!," she cursed as she activated her communicator. "Mihoshi, I lost  
them. I think they went out the back door. Try and get them with the stun net."  
"OK, Kiyone," her partner's reply came over the speaker.  
Ryoko held Tenchi by the hand and was running at a dead sprint away from  
the house.  
"What's going on, Ryoko?" Tenchi asked as he was practically being  
dragged away.  
Before she could respond, they became ensnared in a large blue net fired  
from somewhere in the bushes. They tumbled over top of each other. When they  
had finally stopped, they both received a powerful shock and fell unconscious.  



	14. No Need for Imprisonment and Torture

"No Need for Imprisonment and Torture"  
  
Tenchi woke up to the feeling of cold steel against his bare back. He sat up slowly, his head throbbing. He squinted in an attempt to clear his blurred vision. He saw a figure across the plain, gray room he was in.  
  
"Ryoko?"  
  
The figure looked up, her yellow eyes showing shock, then relief. Ryoko easily crossed the distance between the two in a mere instant. Her eyes traced up and down Tenchi's body.  
  
"Are you OK? You're not hurt, are you?" Ryoko asked, the worry evident in her voice.  
  
Tenchi, uncomfortable with the closing distance between Ryoko and him, quickly stood up and feigned a chuckle.  
  
"I'm fine. Though I would like to know why I'm standing in a small room wearing only my boxers."  
  
Ryoko pointed behind Tenchi.  
  
"Why don't you ask her?"  
  
Tenchi quickly turned around revealing the room to open to a long corridor.  
  
In the middle of the corridor, Mihoshi stood.  
  
Tenchi swallowed and wished he had something to hide behind, but then he saw the bundle of orange clothes Mihoshi had. He walked forward and was thrown backward by an unseen force. He skidded to a halt, stopping at the ground in front of Ryoko. His face revealed only confusion. He sat up and scratched his head.  
  
What happened? he thought.  
  
"Oh, yeah. I guess I should've told you about the energy barrier," Ryoko said.  
  
"Energy barrier? Why would there be an energy barrier?" Tenchi asked.  
  
"Well, how else would we keep prisoners in the brig?" Mihoshi piped, as if it was common sense.  
  
"Pris-" Tenchi started. His face paled.  
  
"Hey, you don't look so good," Mihoshi observed. "Do you need some water or-" She was cut off by the sound of Tenchi's body hitting the ground.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Tenchi woke up to two yellow eyes staring at him. His heart skipped a beat. Then he remembered who they belonged to. And his heart stopped all together. Tenchi scrambled from underneath Ryoko's piercing gaze.  
  
She grinned ear to ear, "You're OK!" It wasn't long before the popping of joints could be heard echoing through the brig's halls.  
  
Tenchi squirmed to try to get out of her grip. It made him _very_ nervous that he was half-naked and in close contact with Ryoko.  
  
Ryoko smirked as she released her grip and gracefully leapt backwards, snatching a bundle of orange clothes laying in the corner. "You want these?"  
  
"Hey, thanks, Ryoko." Tenchi answered. As he tried to grab the precious bundle form Ryoko's hand, she yanked them up out of Tenchi's reach. "Hey!" objected Tenchi. "What are you doing, Ryoko?"  
  
"A kiss."  
  
"What?"  
  
"A kiss for your clothes. Not a peck on the cheek or the hand. A full- blown kiss. Tongue optional."  
  
"No way!"  
  
"Then you don't get these," Ryoko said, chuckling.  
  
Tenchi leapt at the bundle, but Ryoko's superior reflexes prevented him from reaching the coveted parcel.  
  
Suddenly, the ship jerked and jarred. As Ryoko's attention was distracted, Tenchi greedily snatched the clothes. He chuckled to himself, feeling quite smug. No sooner had he pulled his pants up to waist level, however, four thick metal rings appeared on his ankles and wrists. Similar rings materialized on Ryoko. Purple energy beams linked the rings together, giving Tenchi just enough slack to walk and to have limited use of his hands.  
  
These look like... shackles?! Tenchi thought.  
  
Two female guards entered the cell, revealing that the energy barrier had been dispelled.  
  
"Grab your stuff and let's go," instructed one of the guards.  
  
Tenchi grabbed his shirt off of the floor and, after receiving a reassuring nod from Ryoko, complied.  
  
The two prisoners were lead down a series of corridors which ended in a small room. In the room was a small office with a glass plate in front of it. A petite woman with curly red hair sat behind the glass plate. She pressed a button next to her. Tenchi and Ryoko were led to a very large room. It had two floors of glass cells with a bottom floor with tables set up.  
  
It was then Tenchi realized a common characteristic of all the other prisoners.  
  
"Why are all the prisoners here women?" he whispered to Ryoko as they followed the guards to their cell.  
  
"Well, we are in a women's prison. The 8,239th District Women's Correctional Facility to be exact," Ryoko informed.  
  
"Ah, that would explain it then... WHAT?!" Tenchi exclaimed.  
  
The guards suddenly stopped and opened one of the cell's doors. They shoved the two new inmates in not to gently. The door closed and the guards disappeared from view. The shackles deactivated and fell to the ground. Tenchi quickly took advantage of the freedom and put on his shirt.  
  
"Ryoko, why are we in a women's correctional facility?" Tenchi queried.  
  
"Well, I _am_ a girl..." Ryoko responded.  
  
"Haha, why am _I_ in this place, then?" Tenchi corrected.  
  
"Because you're not a real prisoner."  
  
"Then why was I arrested?!"  
  
"For interrogation purposes."  
  
"Interrogation for what? What are you under arrest for?"  
  
"I was arrested for 12 counts of murder in the first degree, including the murder of Kagato."  
  
"What?! That was self-defense! Plus you didn't even k-!" Tenchi was interrupted by Ryoko placing a hand over his mouth.  
  
"Not so loud! We can't let anyone else know about that. We need to keep low about this," Ryoko said, her fierce yellow eyes revealing nothing but seriousness.  
  
Tenchi nodded and Ryoko removed her hand. Tenchi continued more quietly, "But you didn't even kill Kagato, I did."  
  
Ryoko nodded, "_We_ know that, but they don't. They automatically assumed it was me, because I'm the one with power. Face it, you're a resident of a backwater planet. A galactical hick." Ryoko quickly added, "No offense."  
  
"None taken, but what about the other 11 counts?"  
  
"Past assassinations. You weren't my first target."  
  
"Yeah, but weren't you forced to do it?"  
  
Ryoko nodded, "Which is why they need to get me on the Kagato count. They're probably going to get you to say that I did it."  
  
"_That's_ all they've got? I have to say you did it?"  
  
"Or if I confess, either one. I know what you're thinking, but if you don't pin me on Kagato, they're going to ask you who did it. They're not going to believe that you did it, especially if you mention Sword Tenchi or the rest of what happened. And if you do admit to all of that, they can say that you're insane and that your confession won't count."  
  
"But what if they do believe me? What if I prove the existence of Sword Tenchi? What will happen to me?"  
  
Ryoko hadn't thought of that. It made her sick to her stomach. "Then they'll put you on trial, and if you can't prove it was self-defense..." Ryoko drifted off. She didn't want to think of that.  
  
She looked up at Tenchi's face and saw an unusual expression. She had seen that expression on his face before, right before he had fought Kagato. It was an expression that relayed only grim determination. "Tenchi, you're not going to confess, are you?"  
  
A long buzzer within the cell interrupted Tenchi's response. The door swung open. A man with a stocky build along with two guards stood on the other side. "Masaki, Hakubi, you have been summoned to the interrogation room," the man said. The two guards quickly seized Ryoko and Tenchi and began to lead them to the lower level of the facility.  
  
Ryoko was a little confused by this change of events. Hmm... this is a little earlier than I expected, and why are they taking both of us?  
  
They reached a fork in one of the corridors. Tenchi and one guard went left, and the man, the other guard, and Ryoko went right.  
  
What's going on?! Ryoko silently wondered. She entered a room and was sat down in a chair at a table. The man took the seat opposite Ryoko. He wiped his brow, obviously nervous being so close to a wanted criminal. "My name is Chief Miller. I am the warden of this place."  
  
"Don't give me that. I'm not stupid, you're just some expendable lackey. The _real_ warden wouldn't be so nervous. So why don't we cut to the chase and tell me what I'm doing here."  
  
Miller frowned, "Very astute, Hakubi. In short, we want a confession."  
  
Ryoko laughed, "You _want_ a confession, or you _need_ a confession?"  
  
Miller decided to ignore this question, "So are you going to confess to the murder of Kagato or not?"  
  
"Of course not, I didn't do it," Ryoko replied.  
  
"Oh well, I kind of hoped it wouldn't come to this," Miller lied. He pressed a button underneath the desk, and the wall to the left of Ryoko turned transparent. Beyond the wall was Tenchi. Tenchi was strapped to some kind of table. It shifted upwards to show Tenchi's confused expression. He didn't seem to be able to see Ryoko, and she realized this must've been some kind of transmission from elsewhere in the prison. He pressed a second button under the desk and a humming noise could be heard.  
  
Tenchi could hear it too and he began to frantically look around for the source of the noise.  
  
"Did you kill Kagato?" Miller asked smugly.  
  
"I told I didn't!" Ryoko snapped.  
  
Suddenly blue energy arced from the table and Tenchi screamed. The outburst died shortly afterwards.  
  
"Hey, you can't do that! That's cruel and unusual torture!" Ryoko growled.  
  
Another surge of energy went through Tenchi, this one lasting longer than the first.  
  
"Stop!"  
  
Another shock.  
  
"He didn't do anything!"  
  
Another shock.  
  
"STOP IT!!!"  
  
Another shock, only this one failed to terminate. Tenchi writhed in agony, in an attempt to break free of the source of his pain.  
  
"Do you enjoy the agony of your friend? Do you like to watch him squirm in pain?" asked Miller.  
  
"No! Let him go, you sick-!" Ryoko was cut off by Tenchi screaming.  
  
"If you want me to stop, you'll confess!"  
  
Ryoko bit her lower lip, her emotions conflicting with logic.  
  
Tenchi managed to summon up enough strength to raise his head, squinting past the energy bolts obstructing his field of vision. "I know you're watching this, Ryoko," He managed to utter. He cringed. "I know what they're trying to do, and don't do it!"  
  
Ryoko stared at the pained face of her loved one.  
  
"You wouldn't deserve that fate!"  
  
She stared in total shock. Does he know what he's saying?! He's asking me to sit and watch him be hurt again! Ryoko noticed the expression on his face. It was that determined face again. Damn it, Tenchi! Why do you have to be so stubborn?! She closed her eyes, "I won't do it."  
  
Miller growled and pressed the first button. The energy ceased and Tenchi hung limp. He beckoned to the guard, and Ryoko was promptly removed from the room.  
  
When Ryoko returned to her cell, Tenchi was laying on the bottom bunk in a state of semi-consciousness.  
  
She knelt down beside him. "Tenchi, are you OK?"  
  
Tenchi managed a smile, "Yeah, I'm fine. But I'm really tired."  
  
Ryoko gently pushed Tenchi back towards the wall to make enough room for her to lay down next to him.  
  
A buzzer sounded and a mechanical voiced declared, "Lights out." All the lights in the facility promptly shut themselves off.  
  
Ryoko wrapped her arms around Tenchi, and for once he didn't push her off. Whether or not it was because he was too weak to resist or that he wanted her close was something Tenchi didn't even know. 


	15. No Need for an Overthrow

"No Need for an Overthrow"  
  
Washu quickly sat up in her desk. She rubbed her eyes and stared at the screen in front of her which had a small clock in the bottom right hand corner of it. Ack! 9:45 AM! I must've fallen asleep while I was working again. She sighed. She was ready to resume her experiments when she heard a low grumbling noise. Realizing the noise came from her stomach, she decided to get something to eat. She rapped lightly on the door to make sure that Tenchi wasn't changing, and when no response came she opened the door. She wasn't surprised to find that Tenchi's bed was empty. He had always been known to be an early riser, but she was confused when she when she saw that the living room was vacant. Ryoko didn't usually get up until noon. She was totally caught off guard by the hole-ridden table that was overturned in the kitchen. Something had definitely happened without her knowing, and she did _not_ like that.  
  
Before she could ponder the situation more, the doorbell rang. Washu shrugged and walked down the stairs. She opened the door, and Sasami greeted, "Good morning, Little Washu. Is Tenchi up yet?"  
  
"Morning, Sasami. Is your sister here with you?" Washu asked.  
  
Sasami nodded and Ayeka walked up the porch steps, catching up to her sister who had ran the whole way to the Masaki residence.  
  
"Good morning Miss Washu," the older sister greeted.  
  
Washu ignored Ayeka's lack of using her preferred title. "You wouldn't happen to know where Tenchi and Ryoko would be this early, would you?"  
  
"No... why?" Ayeka asked hesitantly.  
  
"Because they're both missing. Come in," Washu offered.  
  
Ayeka and Sasami stepped in reluctantly and surveyed the damage to the house.  
  
Ayeka gritted her teeth. "RYYYYOOOOKOOOO!!!"  
  
-Meanwhile, in the 8,239th Women's Correctional Facility...-  
  
Ryoko abruptly sat up in her sleep, her face lined with sweat. She looked around and swore. This past day hasn't been a dream after all, she thought, disappointed. She looked to her left and saw a slumbering Tenchi. At least something good came out of all this. She smiled softly. She had embraced him, and he didn't throw her off! Well, he didn't exactly hold me in his arms and kiss me passionately, but hey it's a start, she mused.  
  
A buzzer sounded and all the lights in the facility turned on simultaneously.  
  
Tenchi stirred in his sleep and murmured something that almost sounded like Ryoko.  
  
Ryoko smiled and she gently shook Tenchi. "Wake up."  
  
Tenchi yawned and slowly opened his eyes. "What time is it?" he groggily asked. Ryoko glanced outside and saw a clock.  
  
"It's about 8 o'clock," she stated.  
  
Tenchi groaned and slammed the pillow over his face. "If's foo early..." he mumbled.  
  
Ryoko pulled the pillow away from his face. "You don't have much of a choice in the matter, Tenchi. You either eat breakfast now or wait until lunch," she said.  
  
Tenchi sighed and sat up, "All right, all right." Tenchi slowly stood up and staggered to the sink in the cell and turned on the cold water. He promptly dunked his face in it and jerked out of it. He wiped his face and said, "Let's go."  
  
Ryoko shrugged and tentatively tested to see whether the field was still there or not. When she wasn't thrown back, she stepped through and Tenchi followed. "Hey, Ryoko, where is the cafeteria anyway?"  
  
Ryoko shrugged, "I don't know, but who said we were going to eat?"  
  
"Oh, come on, Ryoko! I'm starving!" Tenchi pleaded.  
  
Ryoko sighed, "All right, all right, but you should know that the cooking here is not going to be very good."  
  
"Trust me, Ryoko, when you've eaten my cooking, prison food couldn't be that much of a step down."  
  
Ryoko smiled, "I'm going to go ask where the cafeteria is. Don't go anywhere now." She walked off to a couple of girls who were playing chess.  
  
Tenchi looked out the window, trying to avoid the stares he was getting from seemingly everyone in the facility.  
  
He thought about Ayeka. Man, I wish she were here right now, he mused.  
  
What are you talking about?! You don't want her to be _here_! Tenchi sighed.  
  
Suddenly he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. He quickly turned around expecting to see something unusual. There was nothing out of the ordinary, however. Tenchi frowned. He had a feeling in the pit of his stomach that something very bad was going to happen soon.  
  
"Tenchi, what's the matter?" Ryoko asked.  
  
He shook his head. He was probably just paranoid. "Nothing. Did you find out where the cafeteria is?"  
  
A look of concern crossed her face. "You sure you're OK?"  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine. Let's go," he said, feigning a smile.  
  
Ryoko shrugged and lead Tenchi down a corridor that eventually ended in a large room, clearly identifiable as the cafeteria. Tenchi grabbed a tray and received his food after receiving flirting looks from the attendants handing out the slop. He gulped, quickly found Ryoko's seat, and sat next to her.  
  
She stirred a particularly unappetizing gray blob with her spoon. She took a scoop full of it and held the spoon upside down. Much to her dismay, gravity didn't seem to affect the so-called food.  
  
Tenchi however was shoveling it in as fast as he could. Many of the prisoners stared in complete shock at the scene. He finished and noticed all the attention he was getting. He blushed and tried to explain. "Uh... if you eat it fast, you won't have to taste it."  
  
Some of the prisoners nodded approvingly and resumed their meals. The others were just too shocked to do much of anything, Ryoko included.  
  
"Um... I'm going to go take up my tray now," Tenchi stated, and quickly got up to do so.  
  
On his way back to his seat, he was intercepted by girl with long blonde hair. She appeared to be just a few years older than Tenchi, probably about 18. Her crystal blue stared up at Tenchi's brown eyes with interest.  
  
"Do you know how long it's been since I've kissed a boy?" she asked as she reached up and ran her finger down the length of the scar on the left side of his face. Her finger continued until it reached Tenchi's lips. She stood up on her toes and brought her lips up to meet his. Tenchi quickly stepped backwards and slowly backed away. He turned around and walked quickly away, his brain still trying to make sense of what almost happened. He had gotten about 10 feet away when he felt two arms wrap around his torso. He froze in his tracks. "My name is Konoma Shii, and I like you. What's your name?"  
  
Tenchi stammered out, "T-Tenchi Masaki."  
  
"Tenshi? You're my angel, Tenshi," said Konoma.  
  
"No, it's Tenchi with a 'c,'" Tenchi explained.  
  
"Close enough," she said. Tenchi suddenly felt something wet trace up his neck, and he broke from her grip. He ran posthaste to his seat and wiped the back of his neck.  
  
"Tenchi, what happened?" Ryoko asked.  
  
"Um... let's just say I just met a girl who was _very_ lonely," he answered.  
  
"What?! Who?!" She exclaimed standing up. Her golden eyes darted across the crowd.  
  
"Ryoko, calm down. It's no big deal," he said.  
  
Ryoko frowned and crossed her arms across her chest. "Well, she better stay away from you," she mumbled under her breath.  
  
A bell sounded, and several of the guards left leaving behind only two.  
  
Murmurs rose through the prisoners, all wondering what was going on.  
  
Tenchi frowned. He just knew that this had something to do with the weird feeling he had had earlier this morning.  
  
Ryoko's catlike eyes darted side to side and she spotted them first. Four prisoners were sneaking up on both of the guards. Something was definitely happening. She watched as they crept closer and closer to the unwary guards. She grabbed Tenchi's hand, ready to sprint if necessary.  
  
Tenchi noticed the pressure on his hand and looked to Ryoko. He traced her line of vision and found what she was looking at. He opened his mouth to shout a warning, but Ryoko immediately slapped a hand over his mouth.  
  
"Tenchi, you know that feeling you get in your gut when something bad is getting ready to happen?" Ryoko asked. When Tenchi nodded, she continued, "Do you have that feeling right now?" Again, Tenchi nodded. "Me too. I think something very big is going-"  
  
She was cut off by the sound of one of the guards grunting and falling to the ground. One of the prisoners held a club-like object in her hand. The other guard made a mad dash for the alarm, but was intercepted by another club-toting prisoner. The guard never stood a chance and soon joined her unconscious partner on the ground.  
  
All the while, Tenchi and Ryoko watched in complete shock.  
  
The PA system screeched with feedback. A brusque voice sounded over it, "Sisters of the 8,239th, we are now in control!"  
  
Tenchi gulped. He did not like the sound of that.  
  
-Back on Earth-  
  
Washu sat at her astral PC, watching the events of last night. She was trying to figure out exactly what had happened. She didn't want to miss a single thing so she had been reviewing the day, skipping only the parts that she was with everybody. She had sent Ayeka home an hour ago. She knew that this would possibly take all day, and she didn't want Ayeka's parents to be suspicious when they got home.  
  
Washu jumped when she felt something warm rub against her leg. She looked down and was greeted by a small, brown-furred, rabbit-like creature. Washu smiled and picked the creature up and scratched it under the chin. The creature was a result of one of many Washu's genetic experiments. She liked to call it a cabbit, because it had the body of a rabbit and the face and voice of a cat.  
  
The cabbit curled up in Washu's lap and purred softly. Washu stroked its fur softly and watched the screen. Washu glanced at the clock and frowned. It was already 7 o'clock. She looked at her PC's monitor and noticed that it was about the time that Ayeka and Sasami left. She rose an eyebrow when Ryoko jumped on top of Tenchi, and was suddenly glad that Ayeka had left earlier. When Ryoko wants something, she certainly goes for it, Washu mused.  
  
Suddenly, Ryoko stood up and answered the door. Washu watched the following event. She frowned, "This is _not_ good!" The cabbit looked up at Washu's face and cocked her head to the side.  
  
Washu ignored the creature for a moment, and began feverishly typing on the computer.  
  
"OK, if Ryoko and Tenchi haven't gotten back then we can safely assume that they got arrested," she thought aloud, not really thinking the small animal would understand. "So we cross-reference the closest prisons with arrivals within yesterday and today," Washu stated. A list of 30 or so prisons appeared on the screen. "OK, we'll try to narrow it down a little bit. We can assume that they wanted to arrest Ryoko, so we narrow it down to women's facilities." The list narrowed down to just 10. "OK, Ryoko's going to be charged with murder. Let's narrow it to high-security prisons." Four remained. Washu rubbed her chin thoughtfully. She really didn't want to hack through all of those codes. Not that she couldn't, she was very confident that she could, she just didn't want to waste her time.  
  
The small creature stood up and looked at the screen and raised its ears. It placed its paw over one of the names on the screen and mewed.  
  
Washu's eyebrow arced again. "You think it's that one?"  
  
The small mammal mewed affirmatively and removed her paw from the screen.  
  
"The 8,239th? Let's find out," Washu said, her confidence evident. Within a matter of minutes, the scientist had pulled up the roster of the prison. Washu stared amazed when she saw Ryoko and Tenchi as the most recent additions to the index. She stared down at her creation.  
  
"That was quite a lucky guess. But I suppose, with your relation with Ryoko, that it wasn't a guess."  
  
The cabbit mewed excitedly.  
  
"You're right! For what are we waiting?" Washu stood up quickly. "Let's go, Ryo-ohki!" 


	16. No Need for Heroism

Chapter XVI  
  
"No Need for Heroism"  
  
  
  
Tenchi slapped his hands over his ears as everyone, except Ryoko and he, stood up and cheered. "What the hell is going on?!" he shouted to Ryoko above the noise.  
  
"I don't know!" she responded. "But whatever it is, it can't be good!"  
  
"Let's get out of here!" he shouted. Ryoko nodded, and they sneaked out of the cafeteria. As they followed the corridor back to the holding area, Ryoko noticed something very strange.  
  
"Tenchi, all the guards are gone," she stated. Tenchi looked around and noticed the same thing. Tenchi gulped. He decided it would be better if he followed Ryoko closer. She was really useful in a fight. Ryoko smiled slightly as Tenchi inched closer. She considered wrapping an arm around his shoulders, but he was so tense that the shock would probably scare him half- to-death.  
  
"I've got it!" a voice suddenly exclaimed. Ryoko nearly jumped out of her skin before she realized the voice belonged to Tenchi.  
  
"You got what?" Ryoko asked, trying to quiet her thumping heart.  
  
"I've figured out what's going on!" Tenchi paused for a moment and his face paled. "And now I think that I wish I hadn't." Ryoko could guess what Tenchi was implying.  
  
"So, if the prisoners are in control now, then where are the guards?" Ryoko wondered. The sound of chanting could be heard from the holding area. Ryoko's acute ears picked up the sound immediately, whereas it took a few moments for Tenchi to recognize what they were saying: "Kill her! Kill her!" Tenchi bolted in the direction of the sound, and Ryoko followed suit.  
  
*************************************************************  
  
Kiyone, struggled to break free from her captors' grip, but there were just too many of them. For the nth time today, she cursed her bad luck. Of all the days for the _Yagami's_ engines to overheat... "Let go of me! I don't even work here!" she shouted. When she was brought to a large room full of ex-prisoners shouting: "Kill her! Kill her!", she knew she was in trouble. When she saw a large, muscular woman with an even larger energy ax in her hand, she redoubled efforts to break free. All her efforts proved futile as she was forced to her knees before the titanic woman.  
  
The woman smiled a twisted smile. She shouted to the others assembled in the room, "It is time to repay the ones who have imprisoned us!" This statement erected a cheer from the mass. The behemoth laid the edge of the energy ax against the back of Kiyone's neck.  
  
Kiyone closed her eyes and prepared herself for her inevitable fate.  
  
The woman raised the ax high into the air.  
  
"No! You can't!" a voice shouted.  
  
Kiyone could have sworn she had heard that voice before. Her eyes snapped open. She couldn't believe her eyes. "Tenchi?"  
  
The familiar cinnamon skinned boy she had just imprisoned was standing within arm's reach, his bold brown eyes glaring menacingly at the executioner. "I won't let you."  
  
"Oh, and what are going to do about it, little man? I could snap you like a twig," the beast boomed.  
  
"You do, and you'll have to answer to me," a voice retorted from behind the woman. Most of the woman concealed the owner of the voice, but Kiyone caught a glimpse of cyan hair and assumed it was Ryoko.  
  
"Bring it on! I'll take on both of you!" the giant boasted.  
  
"Enough! Kaijuu, back off now!" a short girl with blonde hair and crystal blue eyes commanded.  
  
"But Ms. Shii, I-" Kaijuu stuttered. Konoma's eyes flashed a gold color and Kaijuu was thrown back 10 feet and landed on a table.  
  
"Does anyone else dare to question my authority?" she asked almost sweetly. When no reply came she smiled. "Good. Throw all of the authority figures in the cells. Subject them to what we had to go through," she commanded. A group of prisoners promptly did as they were told.  
  
Konoma turned and winked at Tenchi, who blushed. Ryoko leveled a cold glare at the shorter girl. Konoma frowned, "Ms. Hakubi, what's wrong?"  
  
"You stay away from him. Tenchi's mine," Ryoko whispered menacingly.  
  
Konoma tilted her head to the side slightly, her blonde hair spilling around her face, "You own him?"  
  
"No, but let's just say I've got dibs on him, got it?" Ryoko sneered.  
  
Konoma turned to face Tenchi. He had been to busy dodging other prisoners who had their eyes on him to notice their conversation. "Is that what he wants?" she asked.  
  
Ryoko's eyes darted to Tenchi. Of course... it has to be... right? she mused. Ryoko turned to Konoma to snap a retort, but she was gone. She blinked twice. She must have teleportation powers...  
  
Ryoko shrugged and sneaked up behind Tenchi, who had finally managed to free himself from the other girls. She quickly wrapped her arms around his neck, keeping the rest of her body concealed.  
  
Tenchi quickly turned around and exclaimed, "No! I don't want to ha- !" Then he recognized the golden eyes and cyan. That however did not ease his tension. Great, he worried. She's got that smirk... "H-Hi, Ryoko," he stammered. "How are you?"  
  
Ryoko's smirk widened. He is _so_ fun when he's like this, she thought delightedly. She moved her face closer to his, their noses just barely touching. "I'm just fine, Tenchi. How are you?" she answered.  
  
He gulped, "It's a little hot in here, but other than that I'm fine."  
  
Ryoko smiled and leaned forward, her lips pursed.  
  
Tenchi tried to back away, but something would not let him.  
  
Why do you resist so much, Tenchi? a voice rang through his mind. What's wrong with her? Why do feel you have to struggle every time she tries to kiss you? Don't you think she's beautiful?  
  
Tenchi quickly shoved those thoughts into the back of his head. He placed his hands on Ryoko's shoulders and gently pushed her backwards. She looked into his eyes, a mixture of confusion and hurt displayed. "Please, Ryoko," Tenchi said quietly. "I don't think of you that way. Don't take it personally."  
  
Ryoko closed her eyes and willed herself to release her beloved. She feigned a smile, "No, of course not."  
  
No, Tenchi... it doesn't get more personal that this, she chided inwardly.  
  
-Meanwhile...-  
  
Washu's eyes darted gleefully across the field of stars before her. She's actually flying! Washu mused. She clasped her hand in front of her and said aloud, "I love it when an invention works!" She was sailing through the vast seas of space in the bridge of the newly reconstructed Ryo- ohki. She sighed happily, "Ryoko is going to flip when she sees you again!"  
  
"Miya!" the ship responded in excitement of seeing her mistress again.  
  
"I am equally excited to see Master Tenchi and Mistress Ryoko again," another female voice piped from within a small box laying on the armchair. Inside of the box was Sword Tenchi. Washu had grabbed her as an afterthought. "So how are we going to get them out of this predicament?"  
  
Washu rubbed her chin thoughtfully. She snapped her fingers, "I think..."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I think..."  
  
"Yes?!"  
  
"I think..."  
  
"YES?!"  
  
"I think... I don't know..."  
  
Had Sword Tenchi had the ability to move, she would have face- faulted. Washu smirked, "But I'm thinking!"  
  
-Later...-  
  
Tenchi sulked around the empty recreational area his hands shoved in his pockets. He thought about working out some, but he was just not in the mood. He slumped down onto one of the benches and let his mind wander.  
  
So absorbed was he that he did not notice the footsteps approaching.  
  
"Tenshi?" Konoma said, surprised anyone was in the room. She made her way to him and say down. She took a moment to stare at his profile, drinking in his features. He is so handsome, she thought. He looks so kind and gentle. What's he doing in a place like this?  
  
Tenchi finally noticed Konoma's presence. "Oh, hello, Konoma," he greeted.  
  
"What are you doing here all alone?" Konoma asked.  
  
"Oh, nothing much. Just thinking," he responded.  
  
"About how you got into this mess?" Konoma asked.  
  
Tenchi blinked twice and stared at her. "How did you know that?"  
  
"I've seen that look before, on many people's faces," she answered.  
  
"Oh, I thought you might have been a telepath or something," explained Tenchi.  
  
Konoma smiled. "Close enough. I've been here a long time." Konoma stared raptly outward. She shook her head, as if trying to shake memories out of her head. "So... how _did_ you get in this mess?"  
  
Tenchi sighed, "I killed someone."  
  
Konoma laughed softly.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Nothing, Tenshi... it's just you don't seem like a murderer to me," she rationalized.  
  
Tenchi ran his fingers through his coal black hair. "His name was Kagato..." Tenchi started.  
  
"You killed Kagato?!" Konoma shouted.  
  
Tenchi cautiously nodded. Great! She was probably his partner or something!  
  
Konoma leapt at Tenchi and they both sprawled onto the ground. She squeezed him tightly. "I can't believe it! I'm so happy!"  
  
Tenchi gave Konoma a questioning look. She sat up, still on his stomach. "Thank you, Tenshi!"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Several years back, before I was imprisoned here, a man named Kagato joined a guild of space pirates. He stuck with the pirates for a year or two, gaining influence and resources. With one swoop, he total annihilated the guild and became the most feared space pirate in the Universe. My best friend and I were part of the guild. We fought to save it, but it was futile. He was just too strong. My friend was killed, and I was discovered by Galaxy Police. I was arrested and brought here before I could exact revenge on Kagato for my friend's demise. But you killed him for me! "Thank you, Tenshi!"  
  
With that, she leaped at Tenchi, and they fell over backwards, Konoma's arms wrapped around his neck, their noses just shy of touching. He blushed furiously.  
  
Konoma smiled and closed her eyes. She pursed up her lips and leaned forward. Her lips had nearly brushed up against Tenchi, when something pulled her off of him. She turned to face her assailant and was not surprised to find that it was Ryoko.  
  
Ryoko leveled a glare at the petite figure. "You're really starting to grind on my nerves, little girl," she stated with a snarl. Ryoko cast her enemy to the side like she was a rag doll. Konoma stopped herself in midair.  
  
She smiled coldly. "What's the matter, Ryoko? Does it hurt you to know that I stand so much more of a chance with Tenchi than you do?"  
  
Ryoko quickly turned around, her eyes seeming to flash with an inner light. "What did you say?!"  
  
Konoma's smiled widened. "Did you notice that he didn't shove me away?"  
  
Ryoko's blood came to a boil. "Shut up, you!" Her orange energy sword came into existence and she slashed at Konoma's throat. Konoma brought her own energy sword to bear, though hers was blue and shaped more like a broadsword. The two blades clashed, the excess energy producing a crackling noise. Konoma pushed, but Ryoko kept her footing and remained rock steady. Ryoko smirked as Konoma strained futilely to overcome her foe. Ryoko suddenly took the offensive, and forced Konoma, who had worse footing because she was floating, backwards into a corner.  
  
"What's the matter, Konoma?" Ryoko gloated, arrogance thick in her voice. "Surely, you're not thinking of giving up so soon."  
  
Konoma sneered. Her golden hair whipped around her as she threw Ryoko back with an unseen force. Ryoko slid back several feet and immediately dodged a cerulean stream of energy aimed for her abdomen. She faintly heard Tenchi's voice in the background, but that did not matter. She was locked in battle with her enemy. Intertwined into a twisted ballet of fire and ice. All that existed was her target, all that mattered was her destruction.  
  
She lunged at her enemy sword outstretched, and Konoma did the same. Ryoko grinned as she realized that her longer arms would strike Konoma first. Victory was hers.  
  
Suddenly, there was something in between her and her target. Ryoko realized what it was a second too late and watched in horror as her weapon stabbed through the obstacle. Konoma's blade appeared a moment and a half, it also protruding from the barrier.  
  
The world snapped back into focus for Ryoko. With a shriek, her weapon dissolved into nothing. Tears streamed from her eyes, as the reality dawned on her. She took a couple steps backward and glared at the two holes.  
  
Tenchi fell to his knees, then collapsed onto the floor. 


	17. No Need for Showers and Preparations

Kujou Muyo!

Chapter XVII

"No Need for Showers and Preparations"

A pair of china blue eyes closely scrutinized the readouts on the monitors of several machines attached to a cinnamon skinned boy. Mihoshi sighed. Tenchi's condition had finally stabled; all that was left for her to do was to wait for him to wake up. Then it was back to the cell with her. 

She had been assigned to monitoring Tenchi by the short blonde that seemed to be the prisoners' leader. Mihoshi had felt her heart drop when she saw the deep wounds in Tenchi's chest. She had merely been instructed to put two rejuvenation patches over the injuries and monitor his health. Apparently, the ex-prisoners didn't want the medical staff out of their cells for too long. None of her questions were answered on how Tenchi had gotten this way, however.

Movement flickered out of the corner of her eye. She turned her head in that direction and noticed the empty chair that had once been occupied by a sleeping Ryoko. She resumed her monitoring of Tenchi and nearly fell backwards out of her chair. Ryoko stood next to Tenchi's bed, her hand clasping his own.

"This is all my fault," Mihoshi heard her mumble.

Mihoshi blinked in surprise. Ryoko did this? she asked herself. But there are two wounds. Did she stab him twice?

Ryoko turned to face Mihoshi, her amber eyes seeming to glow.

She's crying, Mihoshi realized.

"Are they going to scar?" Ryoko asked.

Mihoshi shook her head. "No, I don't think so. Those patches are supposed to prevent that."

Ryoko nodded sadly, but her expression lightened slightly. "That's good. I didn't want him to get any more scars because of me," she said, her voice cracking.

Mihoshi looked down at Tenchi's shirtless body and decided to ask Ryoko something she had been wondering. "How did Tenchi get that scar?" she asked, indicating the odd-shaped scar that was spread across his stomach.

Ryoko placed her hand on it, as if it helped her to remember. "That's from Kagato," she answered.

Mihoshi was not sure whether to take this reply seriously. "But… I'm afraid I don't understand. I've never seen a weapon leave a scar like that," she retorted.

Ryoko clenched the fist that was not holding Tenchi's hand. "A sword leaves that kind of scar when it's used to shish kabob someone," she replied through clenched teeth.

"But that's impossible, a wound like that would've…"

"Killed him?" Ryoko interrupted. "You're right, it would've, it should've. But it didn't." She smiled slightly as two tears ran down her cheeks.

Mihoshi quickly sat up and slid her chair up to Ryoko, who flopped down onto it. She hid her face in her hands, her body shaking as soft sobs escaped her lips. Mihoshi decided that now would be a good time to use the bathroom, and quickly exited, leaving Ryoko alone with the slumbering Tenchi.

************************************************************************

Tenchi stirred in his sleep and his eyes opened slowly. He immediately noticed extra pressure on his chest and panicked, thinking he had some heart condition. He pacified though, when he noticed that the source of the pressure was a wild mane of cyan hair resting on him.

"Ryoko?" he tried to say, but it only came out as a horse rasp. He shook his head and sighed. He rubbed his forehead and noticed a tube was attached to his left hand. He followed the tube to a machine with bags hooked to it. An IV machine, he stated. Good thing I was asleep when they put that in.

"Oh, good. You're awake." Tenchi's head jerked in the direction of the noise.

"Oh, hi, Miss Mihoshi," he greeted.

Mihoshi walked to the bedside and shook her head. "She's exhausted herself lately. She stayed awake for a straight 48 hours after you were hurt, so now all she'd done is sleep today."

"'48 hours?' How long have I been asleep, anyway?" Tenchi asked, shock evident in his voice.

"This is the third day," she said glancing at the clock. "It would've been the fourth day had you stayed asleep another five minutes."

He nodded and shifted uncomfortably under Ryoko's weight. Mihoshi, noticing this, pulled Ryoko off of him and sat her down in a nearby chair. Tenchi smiled.

"Thanks," he appreciated. He closed his eyes and ran his fingers through his hair. He cringed and wrinkled his nose. My hair feels like an oil spill, he noted. "You said it was late, right?"

Mihoshi nodded. "Yeah, why?"

"Um… I need to take a shower, and… well… this is a…_ __women's_ correctional facility, right?"

Mihoshi's eyes widen in realization. "Oh, right, it should be all right, no sane person would be up this late," she remarked.

Tenchi raised an eyebrow but said nothing. He sat up and swung his legs over the side. He removed the several attachments to him after Mihoshi turned off the corresponding machines. He decided to leave the patches on, just to be sure. He stood up shakily and nearly stumbled before he caught himself.

"Hey, could you come with me, Mihoshi?" he asked. Mihoshi flushed a deep red.

"To make sure no one else comes in, I mean," he explained.

The color left Mihoshi's cheeks. "Oh, of course."

Mihoshi led the way out of the medical center, Tenchi following behind her, hands shoved in his pockets.

The trip was largely spent in silence, Tenchi's eyes darting side to side for any other signs of life besides his female companion. He sighed happily as he reached the shower room, anticipating the feeling of being clean again.

"I don't have to go in there with you, do I?" Mihoshi asked.

Tenchi shook his head. "I think I can take it from here," he assured. He walked in the room as Mihoshi kept her eyes peeled for any movement.

She yawned rather loudly, surprising herself at how tired she was. She decided to sit down. In less than five minutes, she was fast asleep.

Meanwhile, Kiyone wandered around the prison compound. Where could she be? she asked herself, wondering why her partner was not in the medical lab. Knowing Mihoshi she's probably wandering around somewhere, causing trouble. Suddenly, Kiyone's feet left from beneath her. She fell to the floor with a crash. She growled and stood back up, glaring down at the object that had tripped her. Mihoshi… why am I not surprised?! The mass of blonde hair with a person attached to it was laying down, her body sprawled across the floor. Kiyone was so deep in her thoughts, she hadn't noticed her sleeping there. She sighed and shook her head. 

She glanced at the door she was sitting next to and noticed that it led to the shower house. She shrugged her shoulders. Well… as long as I'm here, she mused as she entered. She frowned when she heard one of the showers running. I hope she hasn't used all of the hot water, she trusted. She found a set of clothing her size in the clean laundry bin. She shed her clothes and draped a towel over her chest. She walked into the shower area. She was a bit surprised to see that the showers were separated and had drapes over them. She had always thought prisons had mass showers. She shrugged, That's what I get for watching too many of Mihoshi's cop shows. She noticed that whoever was using the shower next to hers was whistling some tune. She just shook her head and chuckled softly. She stepped in and turned on the water…

Tenchi's whistling, however, had kept him from hearing the sound of water running in the shower next to him. Too much time has passed to lament that we were deeply in love… Tenchi had an ending song to an anime he had watched awhile back stuck in his head, and the only thing that helped getting it out was to whistle it. Tenchi hadn't realized how much he had missed showers. He was going to make this a nice long one, until it ran out of hot water, he had decided.

Kiyone had just finished rinsing her hair when the water turned frigid cold. Damn it! That hog took up all of the hot water! she cursed. She quickly turned off the water and wrapped her arms around herself. She stepped out of the shower and began to dry off.

Tenchi stopped and shivered. There goes the last of the hot water. He rinsed off the soap that was on his legs and turned off the water. He shook his head, water flinging from his wet hair. He swung the curtain open and stepped out. Chaos ensued soon thereafter.

Mihoshi was shoved back into consciousness by the sound of two people screaming. She quickly stood up and looked around, not quite comprehending the situation so soon after waking. The door to the shower house swung out and an unconscious Tenchi spilled out, his hand grasping a towel that was barely covering the required parts. Why is his nose bleeding? Mihoshi wondered.

"MIIII-HOOO-SHIIII!!!" she heard her partner screaming.

Mihoshi cringed. "Oops…" she muttered.

************************************************************************

Washu craned her neck up at the curved, clear dome of Ryo-ohki and smiled as she heard a chorus of satisfactory pops, running down her compressed spine. She squinted out the front view port and saw the cubical shape of the 8,239th District Women's Correctional Facility. Washu closed her eyes, and she could almost feel her daughter's presence there.

So Ryo-ohki was right, she mused. Excellent.

"Ryo-ohki, what time is it?" she said aloud.

A crystal moved from outside Washu's line of vision and projected: "7:59 A.M., Standard Time."

"Thank you, Ryo-ohki. Open up a communications link with the compound. Tell them we're here to visit some friends," she ordered.

"Miya!" the ship affirmed.

Meanwhile, Konoma sat silently at her table, enjoying some decent food they had forced the guards to prepare, then had forced the guards to eat, in case there was any threat of poisoning.

Her crystal-blue eyes scanned the crowd of prisoners, looking for any sign of the prison's current male resident. She frowned. No sign of her Tenshi yet.

"Uh, Miss Shii?" a voice behind her piped.

Konoma turned to face a rather tall woman with a very muscular build. She levitated to the taller woman's height. "Yes, Kaijuu? What is it?"

"We've got a problem," she stated.

Konoma quirked an eyebrow. "What kind of problem?"

Five minutes and several curses later, Konoma hovered behind the communication officer's, who was just an ex-DJ who was arrested for smuggling, chair. "I can't deter her, Miss Shii. This Washu is a rather persistent person," she explained.

Konoma felt her temples throbbing. She didn't need this right now. "Simply tell her that it isn't visiting hours yet."

The comm. officer nodded and did as she was instructed. "Uh… just a moment, ma'am," she stuttered into her headset. She flipped a switch and turned to Konoma. "She wants to know when visiting hours are."

Konoma pondered this. It would be suspicious if she didn't have a reply for her. "Tell her 9 to 5," she instructed.

The comm. officer relayed the message and set the headset down. "She'll be here at 9 sharp," she informed.

Konoma looked down at her watch, which she had stolen from an unconscious guard. "That gives us 59 minutes to make this compound look like it's still run by the people it's supposed to be run by. Let's get a move on it, people!"


	18. No Need for Different Preparations

Kujou Muyo!

Chapter XVIII

"No Need for Different Preparations"

Tenchi awoke to a ruckus outside. He sat up and hit his head on the metal support beams of Ryoko's top bunk and cursed.

"Morning, Tenchi," he heard Ryoko greet.

Tenchi rose out of bed and rubbed the sore spot on his head gently. "Morning, Ryoko." He staggered over to the sink in the cell and began scrubbing his face.

Ryoko nimbly leapt down from her bunk, not bothering to use the ladder.

"Heard you had quite an episode last night," she said nonchalantly.

Tenchi stopped scrubbing his face and flushed a deep red color. "Uh… you heard about that, huh?"

"Yeah, that Mihoshi is quite a blabbermouth," she remarked.

Tenchi coughed. "Uh, yeah, I guess she is…"

"So, did you enjoy it?" Ryoko asked.

"What? No, of course not." He turned to face her. "How perver-" He froze. Ryoko was close… _real _close. Tenchi sidestepped and backed to the wall, Ryoko following. "You know, it's not fair," she stated playfully.

Tenchi gulped when he felt her body press up against his. "W-What isn't fair?" he stuttered.

"She doesn't even like you, and I do," she continued, ignoring Tenchi's question.

Tenchi cheeks darkened. "Yeah, well, that's the way the ball bounces, I guess," he piped.

Ryoko grinned mischievously and ran her index finger in a small circle on his chest. "What would you say if I asked if we could rectify that error?" she offered.

Tenchi's reply was his face turning the shade of a beet.

Ryoko smirked, "That's what I thought." She wrapped an arm around the back of his neck, her other hand placed behind his head, pulling him in for a kiss.

Suddenly, the door to the cell burst open and in stormed Kaijuu. Ryoko sighed with frustration and buried her head in his chest, her hand clamping down on the back of his neck.

"Uh, Ryoko," Tenchi winced.

Ryoko leveled a deadly glare at the intruder. "What do _you _want?"

"Ryoko…"

"Can't you see we're busy here?" Ryoko asked through clench teeth.

"Ryoko, you're…"

Kaijuu clenched her fists. "Look! You've got a visitor coming so we've got some preparations to make, got it! Now come on!" Kaijuu grabbed Ryoko by the arm and tugged at it. Ryoko tightened her grip on Tenchi, much to his dismay.

"RYOKO!"

Ryoko's head jerked in his direction. "Hmm?"

"Let go of my neck!" he begged.

"Oh, sorry!" she apologized, releasing him from her grip. She released her grasp and Tenchi rubbed the sore spot.

They were suddenly grabbed by two other inmates who had entered the room, clasping their arms behind their backs and pushing them out into the hallway. Ryoko attempted to phase from her subjugator's grip but found she couldn't. The inmates shoved them none to gently forward, and the quintet began walking. Ryoko glared daggers at the mountain of the woman standing between her and Tenchi.

"Where are you taking us?" she demanded. Kaijuu remained silent.

With a burst of unnatural strength and agility, Ryoko threw the inmate holding her backwards and executed a sweeping kick that sent the inmate sprawling. Finishing her circle, she delivered a powerful right hook that dropped Kaijuu. She stood menacingly before her.

"Where are you taking us?" she repeated.

Suddenly, Tenchi screamed in pain. Ryoko's eyes darted in his direction. All too familiar blue arcs of energy lanced out around him. Ryoko rushed towards him. The torture ceased and he dropped into Ryoko's awaiting arms, the scent of burnt clothing and flesh lingering in the air. His face was contorted into a wince of pain, which eventually faded away.

One of the inmates grabbed her from behind a wrenched her from her beloved. Tenchi dropped to the ground with a thud and struggled to get back up on his feet. Only then did Ryoko notice the silver disc attached to his wrist.

Kaijuu removed a small cube from her pocket and glared at Ryoko. "Another outburst like that, and I'll do it again," she stated.

Ryoko growled but resisted her urge to attack Kaijuu, telling herself to save it for another time. The group continued onward.

"Apparently, someone who gives a damn about you two has come to visit. This was an unpredicted scenario. You will allow this person to believe that this place is still under Galaxy Police control. Because if you don't…" Kaijuu said ominously. She pointed the cube at Tenchi. "I'll give him another shock. You wouldn't want to see your beloved man in pain now, would you?"

Ryoko growled under her breath but didn't respond.

************************************************************************

Washu rapped her fingers impatiently on the table before her. She glanced at the guard standing nearby but couldn't tell by her expression whether or not she would get to see Tenchi and Ryoko soon. She had been waiting for nearly an hour already.

The door on the other side of the room swung open, revealing the two people she had been waiting for. She didn't like the looks of them though. Ryoko seemed uncharacteristically subdued, and Tenchi looked as if he had not had a good sleep in a while. Washu could have sworn she smelt the faint scent of something burning.

Ryoko's eyes widened upon seeing her mother. "Mom? How did you get here?" she asked, taking a seat across from her. Tenchi tentatively followed and Washu saw him cringe with pain as he sat down.

Washu forced a broad grin. "I came in Ryo-ohki, of course!" she declared, as if it were common sense.

Ryoko's mood brightened somewhat. "You fixed her?" she asked excitedly.

Washu nodded. "Not without a few… _changes_, though," she added.

Ryoko skeptically raised an eyebrow, but did not press the matter further. Her yellow eyes spotted a small box resting on the table. "What's that?" she asked.

Washu's lips curved into a mischievous grin. "A gift," she stated simply. Out of the corner of her eyes, Washu noticed the guard stiffen and begin to walk over. She slid the box into the middle of the table. She removed the lid and revealed a small wooden object, similar in appearance to a sword hilt. Embedded in it were three red gems.

Tenchi stifled a gasp. _Sword Tenchi! _As he reached out to remove his weapon from the box, the guard grabbed his hand. "So what do we have here?" she asked gruffly.

Tenchi gulped, but Ryoko quickly answered for him. "It's a trophy," she replied quickly.

"A trophy? For what?" the guard asked skeptically.

"Uh…" Tenchi stammered. He blurted out the first thing that came to mind. "Midget juggling!"

Ryoko and Washu immediately face-faulted. The guard's right eye twitched slightly and a large sweat drop appeared on the side of her face. "M-Midget juggling?"

Tenchi chuckled nervously, perspiration dotting his brow. "Y-Yeah, it's… uh… a highly respected sport on Earth."

Ryoko and Washu climbed back into their seats, each leveling a glare at Tenchi. He gulped.

The guard reached over to pick up Sword Tenchi. Tenchi wanted to yell at her to stop, but before he could utter a syllable, he received a swift kick in the shin by Washu. He grunted and glowered at Washu. She of all people knew what would happen if someone besides Tenchi touched Sword Tenchi. Tenchi squeezed his eyes closed as the guards fingers wrapped around the hilt, preparing himself for… nothing? Nothing. No screams of pain, no crackle of energy. Tenchi opened one eye, then another, watching the guard examine Sword Tenchi in her hand. Tenchi felt his jaw drop.

The guard shrugged. "Nothing wrong here," she tossed the "trophy" into Tenchi's lap. Tenchi stared down at it, still in shock.

"Your time's up, lady. Get going," the guard commanded.

Washu rose and winked at Tenchi, who was still trying to figure out what was going on. "See you guys soon," she said as she waved.

"Hey, you can't come back for another week, facility rules," the guard informed.

Washu froze at the exit doorway and simply said, "I know." Then, she was gone.

************************************************************************

Tenchi flopped down on the bed back in their cell/room. "That was close," he sighed.

Ryoko looked down at him and raised a cyan eyebrow. "Midget juggling?"

Tenchi's cheeks reddened. "It was the only thing I could think of," he explained.

Ryoko smirked and sat down on Tenchi's stomach, letting her feet dangle off the edge of the bed. "What I can't understand," Ryoko started, grabbing Sword Tenchi from Tenchi hands. She began scrutinizing it. "Is why this didn't give that guard one hell of a shock."

Tenchi snatched the sword back. "Or you for that matter," Tenchi added. He ran his thumb over one of the small jewels embedded in the hilt. "I can't even talk to her." He rubbed the smooth surface of another jewel. "It's like I'm cut off from her somehow," Tenchi sighed. He set down Sword Tenchi on the bed, his finger brushing up against the final gem.

Sword Tenchi suddenly glowed fiercely, causing Ryoko to start and jump off of Tenchi. Tenchi pushed himself against the wall, having to shield his eyes from the intense light. Small fissures began to form around Sword Tenchi.

"What's going on?!" Ryoko shouted.

"I have no idea!" Tenchi called back.

With a sound like shattering glass, Sword Tenchi scattered large shards of energy in all directions, causing Tenchi to recoil further into the wall, while Ryoko brought her arms up around her face. The glowing subsided and Sword Tenchi rested idle on the bed next to Tenchi.

Tenchi blinked the magenta spots the bright aura had left imprinted on his vision away and stared at awe at the weapon before him. Ryoko moved her hands away from her face and asked, "What just happened?"

Tenchi gulped and reached forward to touch Sword Tenchi. When nothing exploded, he took it in his hand. With a crackle of energy, a blue blade sprang to life. A sound that seemed to Tenchi like a yawn emanated from the now active sword.

"Good morning, Master Tenchi, Mistress Ryoko," Sword Tenchi greeted, the red gems pulsing in rhythm to her words. The blue blade extinguished itself.

"What just happened, Sword Tenchi?" Tenchi asked.

"Ah, yes. I do believe an explanation would be in order," Sword Tenchi concluded. "Mistress Washu sealed me in a sort of energy coating, undetectable by any modern methods. It was preventive step in case an official attempted to touch me before you got a hold of me."

"Oh, that explains a lot," Tenchi nodded.

"So, does Mom have a plan, or something?" Ryoko asked hopefully.

"Ah, erhm…not exactly. She was hoping you could figure out something," the sentient sword replied. "She is currently hovering just out of sensor range aboard Ryo-ohki, waiting for some sort of signal to come and pick you up

Ryoko sighed but had a mischievous glint in her eye. "What are we waiting for? Let's give her one hell of a signal!" she said, summoning up her energy sword. Ryoko glanced down at her hands. _Why aren't my powers working?_

"Ryoko? What's wrong?" Tenchi wondered.

"Ever since we got dragged to see Mom, I haven't been able to use my powers," Ryoko answered.

"But they were working just fine when you fought with Konoma," Tenchi stated.

Ryoko cringed. That battle had nearly cost Tenchi his life.

"Perhaps I have an answer?" Sword Tenchi piped up. Ryoko and Tenchi focused their attention on the small hilt. "When I first activated, I detected an energy field originating from within the compound. It could be possible that the energy field is designed t o vibrate at an inverse frequency than most energy weapons, thereby disabling them. If we could destroy the source of this field then Mistress Ryoko may be able to use her powers again."

Tenchi and Ryoko both shrugged. "Her guess is as good as mine," Ryoko said.

Tenchi nodded, "All right. Sword Tenchi and I will take out the energy field, so we can get the hell out of here."

"Sounds like a plan," Ryoko agreed. She didn't tell him, however, that she had some preparations to make as well… with Konoma!

A/N - Yeah, I know you hate these things, I do too, so I'll make this quick. I need to give credit to the midget juggling joke to my good friend Marc.


End file.
